We had a "pep" talk at work Thursday, after the FOTA meeting regarding bringing costs down.
Obviously, not all can be implemented in time for next year, but some that will really affect quite a few of us are a cut on the wind-tunnel, I think from 24/7 (I hate that Americanism) down to about 60 hours a week, no testing of cars on track in 2009/10, personnel to be cut down track-side, (Honda were one of the worst culprits, paying top tickets for air-flights and hotels even for the cleaners, and most of them [track-side, cleaners and other personnel] were not needed there, just "jollys").
Computer usage cut-down, less "screen watchers" at track-side, gear boxes to last four races as well as engines, engines to be down to 1800c/c turbo's. Boxes to be made outside. Our own gearbox workers are then out of work. Some of this is subject to agreement, etc, but after Honda? Who knows?
The list goes on but interestingly, there was no mention of a cut in drivers salarys/wages/lets get what we can and as much of it and sod the ones who make the cars, being bought up.
Jenson was on £8million a year. Kimi is/was on £25million a year and our little star (bless him), is only on £10million. These are just "basic wages" so if anyone feels sorry for them, dont!
What I cant understand is all of our perverted leader Mad Max's thinking. He wants to bring costs down, which is fine, but why does he want to get rid of certain things in F1? Not everyone is a petrol head nor does everyone here follow the sport. A lot of us simply go to get a wage, pay the mortgage, bills, treats, holidays and just happen to work in what a lot of people presume to be a top wage-paying job with a lot of perks. Getting rid of these jobs means more out of work, more benefits to be paid, more hardship and unemployment. Is this what he means by acceptable levels of costs in F1? Chuck out what he does'nt agree with and put us on the scarpheap?
Yes, for the lucky few, it is a top dollar job. For the majority, see the wage bit above. We do get some perks but they would be more suited for bobble hat types. Posters, caps, photo boxes, "free membership of the team" ( big b#oody deal, we work here), calenders and, once a year, a ticket to Silverstone and Goodwood. Again, great if a bobble-hat or a follower. I am not so mine goes to a friend or family member. Usually my son.
There is also the thing of companies outside of F1 who rely on secondary work. Be it the corner shop for newspapers/snacks etc, the sub-contractor (we are now going to invest in even more machinery to claw that work back so it's them stuffed - will affect them next year), the temp workers both in office and shop floor - they will be stopped - anyone else you would care to mention? There are a lot of people directly/indirectly who will be hurt by the downturn. Not just us "lucky" few thousands who just have a slightly more exciting sounding title of work.
I doubt if I could get another job in this day and age what with the current situation here and outside yet just a short while back, I felt extremely lucky to get out of aircraft engineering, both because I was on the military side of that (cutbacks), because they have felt the pinch for quite a few years and my age is also against me now so I will have to hope that F1 does not go any further down.
I can assure you that there are quite a few who are worried over their jobs. These being the ones who have started in the past couple of years, and those who were approached/poached before this hoo ha kicked off. At the time of my starting in F1, I was poached and felt rather pleased and flattered. Would I be so now?
Ron.