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Seven teams await verdict at FIA hearing
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-28 23:03

The seven Formula One teams which boycotted the United States Grand Prix face punishments ranging from a reprimand to life bans at a hearing before FIA on Wednesday.

Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher of Germany plays in a friendly soccer match between FC Yverdon and FC Echichens in Yverdon, Switzerland June 25, 2005. Schumacher has a football license to play in the third Swiss league for FC Echichens, a club in a small village near Lausanne, Switzerland. [Reuters]

The teams - BMW-Williams, Mercedes-McLaren, BAR-Honda, Toyota, Sauber, Red Bull and Renault _ declined to race on June 19 after their tire manufacturer Michelin said its tires were unsafe for the Indy circuit.

FIA accused the teams of damaging the sport's image and charged them with breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

FIA president Max Mosley promised a fair hearing, and maintains that the atmosphere will be "calm and polite." However, harsh sanctions could lead to a hostile backlash from the teams.

"We will listen carefully to what the teams have to say," Mosley said. "There are two sides to every story, and the seven teams must have a full opportunity to tell theirs.

"The World Motor Sport Council members come from all over the world and will undoubtedly take a decision that is fair and balanced."

Minardi owner Paul Stoddart said teams might refuse to race if they think sanctions are too hard.

"I think we would have a meeting and you wouldn't guarantee it," he told the BBC. "There would be an appeal, it would go to the (FIA) court of appeal, and then it would end up in the civil courts."

Nine of the 10 teams _ excluding Ferrari _ proposed to run the United States GP only if a series of turns was installed to slow cars on a high-speed part of the course. Ferrari and Mosley rejected the possible compromise.

Mosley said he would not change the rules just because some teams brought the wrong equipment.

"This would start to enter the world of the circus," he said. "It would be like saying there could be no medals in the Olympic rowing because some countries had brought the wrong boats."

He said the race could have gone ahead without safety worries if teams were prepared to adopt a Michelin-only speed limit on turn 13, for the Michelin runners to use the pit lane instead of the banked corner, or for repeated pit stops to change damaged tires.

The incident is the latest that threatens to break up the F1 series.

Nine of the teams _ again minus Ferrari _ are considering joining a breakaway series in 2008 backed by three key manufacturers _ BMW, Mercedes and Renault _ and unofficially by Honda and Toyota.

They are opposed by Mosley, F1's billionaire owner Bernie Ecclestone, and Ferrari. Ecclestone is trying to persuade the teams to sign a new contract beginning in 2008. Ferrari has already signed up to stay with Ecclestone through 2012.

The next F1 race is the French GP on Sunday at Magny Cours.

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