Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/616203
21 AFTER Ferrari vetoed propos- als to place a cost-cap on cus- tomer engines, the World Motor Sport Council have appointed Ecclestone and Todt 'to make recommendations and decisions regarding a number of pressing issues in Formula One such as governance, Power Units and cost reduction' by the end of January. But with Ferrari adamantly opposed to the introduction of budget engines, the battle lines appear to have been drawn for an epic power struggle to de- termine F1's future direction - with the Scuderia, the sport's most famous team, warning they are prepared to quit F1 if their concerns aren't mollified. "Ferrari would find other ways to express its ability to race and to win," said president Sergio Marchionne during the team's annual Christmas media brief- ing. "It would be a huge shame [if Ferrari quit F1], but Ferrari cannot be put in a corner on its knees and say nothing." Marchionne, whose avuncular appearance defies a reputation for ruthlessness, also revealed that Ferrari, Mercedes and Re- nault - three of the four existing engine manufacturers in the sport - objected to Ecclestone and Todt being given such a sweeping mandate to dictate F1's next step. "We go to the track to prove to ourselves and to everyone our ability to manage the power unit. If we begin to undermine this advantage, Ferrari has no intention of racing," he contin- ued. "I understand very well the difficulties that smaller teams face, but this is something that FOM [Formula One Man- agement] has to solve. It is not something Ferrari has to solve." For his part, a defiant Ec- clestone has shown no sign of backing down by accusing Fer- rari and Mercedes of threaten- ing to "destroy" the sport. "We're trying to save the sport and these people are trying to save it for their own good," he complained to the BBC. According to Ecclestone, Fer- rari have already written to the FIA declaring that the govern- ing body had breached its con- tract with the teams by giving him and Todt a mandate to re- write the rules. While esoteric to most fans, the escalating war of words in the fight to control the future of F1 is poised to overshadow the build-up to the new 2016 season when, somewhat ironically, it is hoped that Ferrari and Mer- cedes will put the sport back on track with a head-to-head in a battle for the world champion- ships. Off track, however, the stage has been set for a contest equally fierce - and difficult to predict. 'The whole engine saga will run and run these next few months, and in reality it's just a political football while we have an arm wrestle about who now controls F1. Mercedes and Fer- rari have become all powerful with the only decent engines on the grid,' wrote Sky F1 pun- dit Martin Brundle after last month's Brazilian GP. 'Toto Wolff at Mercedes, like his engine, has plenty of horse- power, and is a smart and prag- matic racer but one who also has to report to a more senior board. The man who intrigues me is Sergio Mar-chionne of Ferrari (and many other or- ganisations). He is a more in- dividually empowered but much less experienced F1 player, who at the same time can be rather brutal I'm told. He's not going to run away from a fight or be intimidated. 'Those two against a relatively passive FIA and an ageing Bernie Ecclestone with plenty of other things on his desk to sort out day by day, minute by minute, will be an interesting battle. You still have to get up very early in the morning to outsmart Bernie on an F1 issue.' Sport maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2015 MOTORSPORTS Sport MOTORSPORTS Ferrari threaten to quit Formula 1 Ferrari have warned they could leave Formula 1 in protest against the new rules expected to be proposed by the sport's supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, and FIA president Jean Todt "Ferrari would fi nd other ways to express their ability to race and to win," said president Sergio Marchionne ASMK Demolition Derby 2015 on Sunday ON Sunday 20 December 2015 the "Assocjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi" will be holding the spe- cial event is for Christmas time. Like previous years the event is held to raise funds for Charity. In this 22nd edition of this event the program will is to include the 5th Autocross Championship event of the ASMK Pasta-Poiatti Na- tional Championship and the 2nd event of the Motocross Champi- onship too. The long day's pro- gram comes to an end by another Car Demolition Derby which is expected to start at around the 3: 30pm. The Program program starts begins at 10: 30am. Autocross Rides which were successfully introduced last year will be available for the general public during the days program. As the Association had a strong demand last year, more cars will be available on this occasion. On this Sunday the Autocross cars will be fitted with a second seat for the rides which are avail- able against a €5: 00 donation for charity. Anyone who likes to feel the ex- erience of the ASMK Autocross cars on soft track surface, Zanu Racing Team will be having one of their cars available to spectator drivers who would like to demon- strate their experience in a real Autocross car in its real environ- ment. Obviously this is against a fee and all safety gear will also be provided. All donations will be for charity. Meanwhile on Sunday the cars will continue racing in the Na- tional Championship.The Na- tional Classification for Auto- cross after four activities we find that Christian Mark Galea on a Fiat RITMO leads the list with 89 points and is followed by Philip Joe Vella on his Opel Corsa with 82 points. In third place we find Malcolm Borg on his Opel Corsa with 74 points followed in fourth place by Christian Apap on a Ford Fiesta with 64 points. In fifth and sixth places we find Josef Abela on an Opel Nova and Noel Zam- mit on a Fiat Punto with 57 point and 56 point respectively. The National Classification for the Motocross is now open after the first event. We find Clayton Camilleri on a KTM takes the first 50 points for Class A fol- lowed by his younger brother Kyle Camilleri on KTM with 44 points. Third placed we find Ed- ward Ciantar on a Kawasaki with 42 points. In Class B Gozo rider Mario Cauchi on a Honda is in front of the standings with 50 points fol- lowed by Elvin Debono on a Ka- wasaki with 44 points. In third place we find to Jorn Stellini on a Kawasaki with 40 points. Meanwhile the"Assocjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi" pub- lished the calendar of events fot tyhe Autocross, Motocross, Tri- als and Enduro Championships. These dates for next year (2016) are already on the electronic site together with other information at www.asmk.org.mt and also on Facebook page:- ASMK Malta.