Safety in Formula One Motor Racing from 1950 continued:

The Formation of the Formula One Constructors Association

During the 1960s the structure of teams changed dramatically. At the onset of modern F1 racing the majority of teams were works teams - teams wholly produced and run by a sole manufacturer. In the late 1950s kit car teams formed - teams independently owned who designed and built their cars around 'off the shelf' engines and components bought from either car or specialist manufacturers. The number of entrepreneur owned teams swelled the number of entrants and unlike works teams they were not dependent on production car sales and therefore not as dependent on 'positive' public relations. The increasing awareness of safety and an increasingly sensationalist press was deemed to damage the marketing aims of the works teams who fostered a close relationship between racing and their production car sales.

The kit car teams soon became successful which can be partly attributed to their internal structure. Not bound to a sole manufacturer, kit car teams could enlist the help of specialists in many areas of technology and design. This specialized division of labour is a factor in the success of British kit car teams of the 1960s. After World War Two the aerospace and motor industries concentrated in areas of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, commonly referred to in racing as 'Grand Prix Valley'. The close proximity of these specialist industries and the formation of motoring clubs in the area led to the dissemination of technology and knowledge.

In 1964 the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) was formed. Founded by Andrew Ferguson, then manager of the Lotus F1 team, FOCA was to co-ordinate the constructors' collective interests and represent their concerns with the sporting commission of the FIA, the Commission Sportive Internationale, CSI. The constructors who joined the association were the kit car teams who lacked the economic and influential representation the works team had. FOCA therefore developed to represent the interests of the kit car members - kit car teams were developing differently from works team, especially technically where kit car designers attempted to compensate for less powerful engines by developing innovative chassis and aerodynamic designs. FOCA also organized areas of collective interest such as travel arrangements to races.

In 1972 Bernie Ecclestone, then owner of the Brabham F1 team, became FOCA Secretary and in 1978 he became FOCA President. FOCA became increasingly influential and powerful, an aspect of this power coming from the centralized organization of many of the collective concerns of the FOCA teams. A number of aspects of race organization remained somewhat haphazard - e.g. teams were not bound to attend races. Up to this point teams negotiated individually with race organizers for start monies. Monies from television broadcasting were also negotiated on an individual basis. Many team owners did not wish to partake in these negotiations for a number of reasons and so did not pursue the monies. Ecclestone took control of a number of such negotiations on behalf of the FOCA teams. In return for standardized start monies, prize funds and shares of television rights profits FOCA teams were contracted to attend race meetings. Arguments prevail whether Ecclestone intentionally sort this role or team owners asked him to take over certain negotiations - whichever, it led to Ecclestone becoming an increasingly influential figure in Formula One. Ecclestone set up a number of companies to service FOCA including areas such as freight, promotions and communications which further bolstered his influential position and made him increasingly financially powerful. Ecclestone's position as FOCA's President has rarely been challenged and it would appear that fellow constructors were (and still are) content to let Ecclestone have a free rein in the running of FOCA. This is but a short summary of the formation and structure of FOCA and the role of Bernie Ecclestone. Many people may be aware that Ecclestone's role in running Formula One and his associated companies is under review by the European Union's monopoly commission and there is much talk of what will happen to his companies when he retires or dies. Ecclestone has become increasingly involved in running Formula One and is considered by the majority of people in motor racing to be the most powerful and influential man in the sport - many would claim he is more powerful in respect of Formula One than the FIA President. Whilst continuing as FOCA President, Ecclestone has also been appointed as FIA Vice-President in Charge of Promotional Affairs further bolstering his powerful position within the sport.

The kit car teams did lack money. Works teams had the economic backing of their parent company to fund research and development. Kit car teams relied on the backing of wealthy patrons, financial backers and technical partners. Until 1968 the FIA banned commercial sponsorship but with new, younger members on the FIA General Assembly attitudes to commercialization were changing and the ban was lifted. Racing in America had been backed by commercial sponsorship for some time. Commercial sponsorship was embraced by the kit car teams.

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