Hot on the heels of the new technical controversies, the 2012 season has also kicked off in the sport’s high-intrigue world of politics.
A fascinating blog post by Sky News’ City editor Mark Kleinman has been pulled from the internet just hours after it went live.

It was about “F1 finance and control allegedly involving Ferrari, Red Bull and (the sport’s owner) CVC”, according to veteran journalist and broadcaster Maurice Hamilton on Twitter.

“Has someone spoken out of turn?” wondered the Times’ Kevin Eason.

The Telegraph’s Tom Cary said the rumour is that a $10 billion stock market floatation for F1 could be in the works “with Ferrari (and) Red Bull getting special deals”.

“There is no smoke without fire with this one,” added Eason. “No wonder Ferrari and Red Bull ditched FOTA.”

The document that currently governs F1 and its finances, the Concorde Agreement, runs out this year, and now F1′s most famous team – Ferrari – and the reigning world champions are outside the trade union FOTA.

“Coincidence? Highly unlikely,” said Cary.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone insists no deals have been done yet.

“I’d like to try to do something before the season starts,” he said this week. “I don’t want it dragging on.”

As for his take on FOTA, “Ferrari would never go do a deal with those clowns,” the 81-year-old scowled.

Meetings have been arranged to address the issues that arose after Sunday’s European grand prix.

Fernando Alonso and Ferrari were furious when a mere and late drive-through penalty for Lewis Hamilton’s safety car overtaking in Valencia still allowed the McLaren driver to finish second.

But also unhappy were several of the nine drivers given 5 second time penalties for driving too quickly during the same safety car period.

“Vitaly (Petrov) came in too quickly and we accept the penalty for him, but it’s hard to understand Robert (Kubica)’s penalty,” said Renault’s chief engineer Alan Permane.

Also seeking clarification is Mercedes, after Michael Schumacher found a red light at the end of the pitlane despite the fact a line of traffic was not yet formed up behind the safety car.

“There was a green light for a moment and then suddenly it went red again.  We believe that this was not correct,” said Michael Schumacher.

Alonso wrote on his Ferrari blog: “I was pleased to hear that the FIA has reacted promptly, calling an extraordinary meeting of the Sporting Working Group and I am confident, certain even, that all the points up for discussion will be cleared up in a comprehensive fashion.”

It is understood the meeting will be held next week.

Moreover, Mercedes’ Ross Brawn told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport that the issues will be discussed by the team bosses at Silverstone next Wednesday.

“There are too many unanswered questions that can be interpreted either way,” he said.

(GMM)

Jun.12 (GMM)  Leading bosses have rejected David Coulthard’s suggestion that formula one overturn its ban on team orders.

In the wake of the Turkish grand prix two weeks ago, it was reported that the controversies may have been triggered by Red Bull and McLaren trying to circumvent the prohibition of race-altering team instructions.

In Red Bull’s case, Mark Webber’s engine had been turned down ostensibly to save fuel, amid continuing rumours that the chasing sister car driven by Sebastian Vettel was temporarily running higher revs in the moments before their crash.

And teammates Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton set hearts racing on the McLaren pitwall at Istanbul Park when they fought wheel-to-wheel despite being told to slow down and conserve fuel.

13-time GP winner and British commentator Coulthard said it is an “absurd situation whereby teams have to defend the indefensible”.

“Do they (team orders) happen in F1?  Yes, is the short answer,” the Scot wrote in his latest column for the Telegraph.

Coulthard, 39, argues not only that teams can easily steer around the team order ban, but that some sorts of instructions are legitimate.

Indeed, team orders were completely legal until 2002, when Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello was crudely ordered by then Ferrari team boss Jean Todt – who is now president of the governing FIA – to let Michael Schumacher win in Austria.

But while their lives may have been easier in Turkey if team orders were permitted, the bosses of Red Bull and McLaren said they would not support a push to overturn the ban.

“I think team orders are wrong,” Christian Horner said in Montreal.

“You employ professional drivers and we shouldn’t dictate how they drive the car.  I think it would be wrong to deny the public from what a grand prix should be about which is man and machine competing with each other,” said the Red Bull team principal.

His McLaren counterpart Martin Whitmarsh agrees.

“I think we’re happy with the regulations as they are.  I don’t mind if other teams want to (use team orders) and that’s up to them, but within our team, we’ve tried to treat all of our drivers with respect,” he said.