Formula One news
Briatore disputes Brawn TV money
18 April 2009Renault team principal Flavio Briatore has made his feelings clear over the fact that the Brawn GP team will be entitled to a significant amount of Formula One's television rights in 2009, paid out annually. The Italian believes that Brawn, as a new team, should not be entitled to the amounts received previously by Honda.
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Brawn could receive payments of up to €30 million, of which manufacturer Honda would have received had the team still been racing under its previous guise. Briatore, however, believes that the team, now under the ownership of Ross Brawn, should not receive such payouts and that the money should be split between teams in order to cover extra expenses following the diffuser saga of this season.
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"Despite some being against it, Montezemolo kept the FOTA united in supporting Brawn GP, and so did McLaren, in supplying engines," Briatore said in China. He refers to the Formula One Teams' Association's continued assistance to the survival of the outfit, and feels that Brawn receiving the estimated €30m payout would be incorrect. There is no certainty that Brawn will receive the money though, as governing body the FIA branded the outfit as an entirely new team this year as opposed to a name change, although Renault are still looking for clarification.
"But since Brawn (team owner Ross Brawn) was our (FOTA) technical delegate, and he forces me to spend money I don't have in my budget, and since Honda's money has luckily not been shared yet, we'll have a meeting," Briatore continued. "My proposal will be as follows: Brawn is richer than anyone else, because he's had his team paid for in full by Honda, plus he's had 130 million given to him by Honda as well - he's certainly richer than I am. I don't want to be a Robin Hood, but when there's a situation where everyone is transparent then it's fine.
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"At this moment my position is, since I need to find the money in the budget somewhere and the season can't end up with people being one second behind the Brawn cars, the money share will have to be reviewed in full."
"Let's go with what the FIA said; since the FIA said it's a new team, then for once we agree with the federation. This is a new team, it's true. Honda officially said it has left F1, and the team isn't called Brawn Honda, it's Brawn alone - at this point I think the federation is right. Bernie (Ecclestone, of Formula One Management) refused that point that out because Bhe wants to send the money to the teams, and the teams would transfer it. Brawn was very good in the appeal, so the federation said he's right. As FOTA commercial chairman, I'll propose that we follow the FIA's indications that it's a new team and - for three years - it has no rights with regards to transportation, or anything."
Briatore then responded to questions referring to FOTA's view in December, confirming that the Brawn team would be receiving all its monies due. "That was at Christmas, though," the Italian responded. "Now that Christmas has gone, we'll talk about it again next Christmas. As it is a new team, it has to follow all the regulations we followed when we entered with new teams - I will propose that to FOTA, then we'll see."
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