Now that the parties have had time to think about the disaster that was the United States Grand Prix now it is the time for the finger pointing and laying of blame to start.

The FIA has come out saying that the seven teams that withdrew from Sunday's race would now have to appear before the FIA's World Motor Sport Council in Paris on June 29 to explain their actions. The FIA has laid the blame squarely with the teams that withdrew and their tyre supplier Michelin.

A statement from the FIA said: "Rather than boycott the race the Michelin teams should have agreed to run at reduced speed in turn 13. The rules would have been kept, they would have earned Championship points and the fans would have had a race.

"As it is, by refusing to run unless the FIA broke the rules and handicapped the Bridgestone runners, they have damaged themselves and the sport."

In a letter sent to each of the seven Michelin teams, the FIA laid out how the teams had committed several breaches of the regulations. Below is a copy of the letter sent.

Dear Sir,

Article 151c of the International Sporting Code

You are hereby requested to appear at the forthcoming meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council which is to be held in Paris on 29 June 2005 (FIA – 8 place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, meeting room “Salle du Comite” at 09:30 hrs to answer charges that, in breach of the above, you committed one or more acts prejudicial to the interests of a competition, namely the 2005 United States Grand Prix and/or to the interests of motor sport generally in that you…

- failed to ensure that you had a supply of suitable tyres for the race and/or
- wrongfully refused to all allow your cars to start the race and/or
- wrongfully refused to allow your cars to race, subject to a speed restriction in one corner which was safe for such tyres as you had available and/or
- combined with other teams to make a demonstration damaging to the image of Formula One by pulling into the pits immediately before the start of the race.

And that you failed to notify the stewards of your intention not to race in breach of article 131 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.

A full dossier will be sent to you within 48 hours
At this hearing you may assisted by the council of your choice

Should you wish to send us any comments in writing before this meeting we will make sure that they are circulated to the members of the World Motor Sport Council.

Yours faithfully
FIA

But for team principals such as Frank Williams it was very much the case that the teams were desperate to race.

In an interview Williams said: "The teams were desperate to race, to put on a show. Racing in North America is fundamental to Formula One's commercial health.

"We wanted to at least entertain the crowds. We were prepared to race for no points and give them all to Ferrari. I can't stress enough how desperate we were."

Despite their desire to race Williams also made it very clear that he would not compromise when it came to safety.

Williams added: "With this particular team, in 1970 Piers Courage was killed in the Dutch Grand Prix. Ayrton (Senna) died (in a Williams) in 1994. Ralf (Schumacher) narrowly escaped permanent paralysis (at Indianapolis) when he hit the wall. We take responsibility for safety extremely seriously."

The teams had put forward the idea of running the race with a temporary chicane installed prior to the turn but this idea was rejected by the FIA. Even Indianapolis promoter Tony George and Formula One commercial head Bernie Ecclestone had agreed to the chicane in a meeting with teams on Saturday night

Williams said: "Bernie called (FIA race director) Charlie (Whiting) on Saturday night and said get on with it."

Regardless of how history judges who was right or wrong it comes down to a complete failure by all parties to reach a compromise so that the poor long suffering Formula One fan can get to see the thing that really matters, that of Formula One cars been raced by the best drivers in the world.

How Formula One simply degenerated into a sport that totally lacks the ability to reach a compromise between various parties; the FIA, the teams, the organisers, or the commercial arm of Formula One. Has it become a case of seeing who can throw their weight around the most and get their way imposed above all others.

The meeting in Paris on June 29th we give us an indication as to whether all the parties can stop the finger pointing and laying of blame and make sure that such a fiasco does not happen again. But if the position taken by the FIA is anything to go by I doubt it.