The Formula One Teams Association and FIA Presidential candidate Ari Vatanen got together for a chinwag at the Belgian GP weekend on Saturday, with Vatanen saying that he could see a long period of working together with the group.
FOTA has spent it's time since it was formed last year rubbing the FIA and current president Max Mosley up the wrong way on various subjects, from KERS devices to the future of the sport. The group briefly went as far as to announce a breakaway series when they disagreed with the proposed 2010 regulations, before forcing Mosley into a compromise.
But Vatanen, who once drove a rally car, seems confident that under his presidency, the two sides would work stronger together, and whould probably never disagree on anything because they love each other so much.
"There is so much untapped potential in the sport, but we can realise it if we work together," Vatanen gushed after the meeting.
"The people in FOTA are the ones that know what the sport and the business is about. The fact is that the sport has not been run as they would like over the years and they have realised that they can work together and with the FIA in the common interest.
"They have lived in fear without knowing what the future holds, and that's no way to run a sport. I can't see why different members of the same family cannot work together without one side or another wanting to dominate the other."
Whether that last line was a jibe about Mosley's extra-curricular activities was unclear.
Vatanen also pointed out that the stakeholders in the sport would need to cooperate to ensure the long-term stability of F1. Which means no more breakaway threats.
"My message is that it doesn't take away anyone's independence to work together," Vatanen implausibly insisted, "It's in everyone's interest that the competitors prosper and remain in the FIA championship.
"Our role is to give them a platform to perform. It's in the interest of everyone to make sure that this platform is as solid as possible and that there are as many competitors as possible."
The Finn faces up to his rival, Jean Todt, in the presidential election on October 23rd. Todt himself will meet up with FOTA for tea and cakes at the Singapore Grand Prix next month.
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