The RRA will be discussed outside of FOTA
The RRA (Resource Restriction Agreement), which defines the limitation of team expenditures, has been the subject of discord for several races, but the teams are trying to find an agreement to resolve this issue. They have decided to discuss this matter independently of the FOTA so that the association does not implode due to these disagreements.
The RRA has been a source of disputes between the teams for several weeks, and despite several meetings, no agreement has been reached. The members of FOTA (all teams except HRT) met yesterday in Interlagos during the Brazilian Grand Prix to continue negotiations. However, since the RRA issue concerns only certain teams in the lineup – the bigger ones, they have decided to discuss this issue among themselves rather than within FOTA meetings.
According to the British magazine Autosport, Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, and Renault will now discuss among themselves to find a solution that will then be presented to the other members of the FOTA.
We met this morning (yesterday morning) and it was decided that the RRA should be studied outside the FOTA for the moment, to try to find a solution. I think it’s important to try. I believe that the RRA is important for Formula 1 and I think all the teams are unanimous on this point, Horner said at the FIA press conference yesterday in Brazil.
The director of the Red Bull team stated that things were difficult because each team has its own organization and he emphasized the need to find a solution that can satisfy all teams.
I think what is not yet clear is how to ensure it aligns with everyone’s business models, because some teams are different, and I think the most important thing for us is that the treatment and transparency of this system must be consistent and obvious, and maybe we should also go beyond the chassis and incorporate the engine as well. You cannot restrict yourself, you have to look at the big picture.
Christian Horner is hopeful that a solution will be found by the end of the year, even though he is aware of the difficulty of the task that awaits him and his peers.
« With a bit of hope, by continuing the negotiations, a solution can be found before the end of the year, but I think it is inevitable that we are more discreet about it because, as I said, if we (Red Bull) had been as successful this year, it would have been less relevant, but that’s how the world works. From Red Bull’s point of view, we really want to find a solution and we are hopeful it will be found by the end of the year 2011, » added Christian Horner.
