Still think that running an F1 team is a financial liability? Well, it is for most teams, but not for Ferrari. Although financial arrangements in Formula One remain highly secretive, motorsport financial report Formula Money accounts that the Scuderia received a record payout of $100 million from Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management (FOM). The high payout is due in part to the new profit-sharing agreement between FOM and the teams, by which the constructors share 50% of the profits from television broadcasts, trackside advertising and corporate hospitality. That's compared to the previous prize pot based on 47% of just the TV rights. Ferrari's record nine-figure payout is reported to be divided between $68.9 million for having won the constructors' championship last year and the $33.3 million final installment of the $100m signing bonus for committing to the sport through 2012, which Ferrari signed in 2005. The cash from FOM, however, seems like pocket change compared to what Ferrari is estimated to pull in this year from sponsors like Marlboro and Shell: last year Ferrari made $183m in sponsorship, which is only expected to have increased following the team's double championship last year.
What about the financial arrangements? WHo brings the most fans to the sport? Ferrari do and that is why they have the bigger slice of cake in much the same way that Man U get th bigger slice of the TV money for EPL games, simply they have the bigger fanbase and it is their scope that brings more money to the sport. While I feel the penalty to be a bit harsh the simple fact is that Hamilton is a regular in infringing upon the rules, the stewards are not stupid and know he is doing it but its being done in a clever enough manner to not be too drastic and therefore if any penalty was handed out it would restoke the whole victim complex around Hamilton. Hamilton did commit an infringement, a small one, but I feel the penalty was more to do with a straw that broke the camels back way
Jacky, of course if a team can veto the rules and become the recipient of additional payments, then as you say that particular team may then become the premier outfit. Thats one way of doing it ! I am not sure Hamilton is any more likely to infringe the rules than any other driver, how did you measure that one.
