Time Gentlemen, Please 05/01/2009 In an interview with The Times, Sir Jackie Stewart has been critical of Bernie Ecclestone's continuing hold over F1 - his comments can be read in full here. He makes some very good points but merely scrapes the surface of Bernie's ultimately destructive influence on the sport, in my view. Many of the changes brough about by Bernie that were accepted as beneficial at the time have turned out to be less than helpful in the long run.Sir Jackie StewartSir Jackie hits at the core of the problem when he highlights the relationship between Ecclestone and Mosley as being a large part of the problem. These two have run the sport as their own domain, accumulating power and wealth while taking little heed of the participants. The cost crisis currently being experienced by the teams has been created by an administration that has constantly tinkered with the rules, forcing designers into expensive areas of research and development. Meanwhile the sport's enormous income has been sold off to commercial rights holders for a fraction of their worth, resulting in very little being spent on the sport itself.As Sir Jackie says, there is no obvious successor to Bernie's position and the same is true for Mosley (although plenty of very good suggestions have been made). The fact is, however, that neither of them can go on forever - Bernie is 78 years old and Max will be 69 in April this year. Both figures are way beyond normal retirement age and it is only their own certainty that they are indispensible that has made their tenure so tenacious. They are both well past their sell-by dates and it is time the sport found out whether it actually can function without them or not.I suspect that the terrible two would find that F1 can live quite happily without them and that there are many who would do as good a job or better than they have. If nothing else, money would flow into other hands than Bernie's and that cannot be a bad thing - he already has far too much of the stuff anyway. The absence of Max would also mean that F1 might find a clear and sensible route to the future, instead of silly ideas constantly adjusted and revamped as they prove unworkable.It is time for both of them to go. The old argument that only they know what is good for the sport no longer holds any water; the results of their greed are now becoming apparent and it becomes clear that the actual beneficiaries of their reign have been themselves, not F1. Any successors may not run things in quite the same way as we have become used to but that will be a good thing. Formula One needs fresh direction and a broader outlook - a new generation should be given the chance to make of the sport what it will, no matter how much the old men dislike the idea.We should not fear a future guided by younger minds. Judging by what I read in forums and comment systems around the net, there is more respect and understanding of the roots and history of F1 amongst the young than Mosley and Ecclestone have demonstrated over the last decade. I, for one, am an old fogey that would be happy to see the sport transferred to the hands of those who are its rightful heirs. The future is the country of youth and is no place for old men.
Clive
Nick Goodspeed Mosley and Ecclestone have the equivalent of a reign of terroron F1. Anyone who might be in a position to do their jobs are gotten rid of or threatened away in some manner. As Sir Jackie says, no one is willing to speak up. When Mosley was caught with his pants down, he should have been gone, but due to the fact that both of them are such experts in domineering, nobody dared go through with ousting him. They are the ones who have created this myth of implacability, and that is all it is! A myth! The cost of F1 has been driven up by the pair of them. If a team wants to win it must be ready to react to whatever these idiots decide will be next years rule changes. To do this best, in the time alloted, is fantastically expensive, requiring an army of highly trained people. It is no wonder the number of teams has dropped so much. First they must pay a huge tithe to Ecclestone, then they must employ a equivalent to a small version of NASA if they have any desire not to finish last. In this era that means having wind tunnels and staff at constant disposal. Any change in dimension means a total reevaluation of the aerodynamics and Ecclestone and Mosley change rules at any whim or folly. They would probably change whatever they think is necessary for the sole purpose of redirecting bad publicity regardless of cost. Date Added: 05/01/2009
Steven Roy I am always happy to see JYS stand up to those two and I agree with everything he says. I also think it is time for change. The big problem though is that removing Bernie and Max may no longer be enough because the rights have been sold to CVC. The only way to solve this mess is for th FIA to buy the rights back but I am not sure the could finance that or would be willing to finance it. I wonder if FOTA could put a bid together. That would put the cat amongst the pigeons. Date Added: 05/01/2009
Clive I, too, agree with all that Sir Jackie says but would go even further. Mosley and Ecclestone have been given too much credit for the changes they have made and the more I learn of their deeds, the more it becomes apparent that their actions have been motivated by their own interests rather than the sport's. Buying back the commercial rights from CVC seems a bit of an insult to the FIA and FOTA since they should never have been sold in the way they were. That deal between Max and Bernie looks worse every time I hear more of it.Still, you are right, Steven - no use crying over spilt milk. Date Added: 05/01/2009
Björn Svensson One problem i can figure out here, is that both Max an Bernie have so much power, so whoever is going to take up their places when they leave is going to be someone the want on the place. Not someone any board wants, and just forget about the teams being able to chose who they wants there. They are never going to be able to agree on one single person.Theres just one way to do it, and that is to as a recruitment-company to headhunt a proper CEO to take over the ruling of the business. But i don't think either Bernie or Max is going to allow that to happen. That would mean they have to let go of everything, and let an outside force take over.Knowing how they have ruled things this far, that is going to be just one of my dreams for the future i think. Date Added: 05/01/2009
Nick Goodspeed Ecclestone and Mosley love money. There rules have catered to keeping the richest teams the happiest. In effect they have directly helped Ferrari become one of the richest by lining their pockets. That this huge payment was for stabbing all their colleagues in the back is congruent with the manner they run things. They have ruined Minardi, Super Aguiri, Arrows, Jordan and probably others by continually raising the ante. Each time they change a rule that alters the configuration of an F1 car it cost the teams a fortune.The team that wins the championship is the one that reacts most quickly to their whims.Neither one of these dictators is a trained engineer yet they have the final say on changing the configurations . Neither one has a stable notion of what money is. One thinks it is to buy sick sex, the other believes he needs to have it all! These are not people who should be calling the shots that effect thousands of other’s lives! They are at best self serving, at worst morally bankrupt. The only way F1 can be bought back from CVC is to let its value drop until it is obvious to to Ecclestone (if that is possible) that he must salvage what he can or lose all!I doubt that any one person should have the power of either of these two. I think it might be a better idea to have a panel of people in place of Mosley, perhaps including the likes of Michael Schumacher and Jackie Stewart and perhaps some retired top engineers, who have a vested interest in not seeing F1 sullied as it would reflect directly on their accomplishments. Is it better to be multiple champion, or part of a cheesy organization or one that is known for credibility and quality? I’m not sure this is the answer but it sure beats having these senile thugs playing with things they’re not qualified to deal with. Date Added: 05/01/2009
Alianora La Canta Unfortunately, Bernie doesn't have the power to sell F1 without CVC's permission. I have a horrible feeling that if the value of F1 drops significantly, CVC would wind it up or sell it to another faceless corporation (with the FIA's consent) rather than do anything that might possibly be in the best interests of F1.I'd like to think F1 is salvageable. However, I think that salvage operation will need to start with strengthening F1's collective self-reliance (as opposed to its current dependence on two individuals and a lot of fear) and then figure out how to cut CVC out of the equation when it is in a position to do something about it.If a successor to the FIA discovers that the CVC haven't strengthened F1 and therefore breached the trust implied when the FIA approved the sale (to trigger a free return of F1 to the FIA's and/or Bernie's hands), that would be a good avenue to explore. The FIA can always get F1 off Bernie as the step beyond that. But until F1 learns long-term sustainable, sport-focused behaviour that considers the health of the entire series, a victory achieved through such means would be Pyhrric at best. Date Added: 05/01/2009
marc I really like Sir Jackie's style.He speaks his mind. He means what he says, and I genuinely believe he has the best interest of the sport at heart. And when he was a driver, he was one who lead the charge for greater safety, which I imagine lead many people to complain that his exploits were altering the sport for the worse... ironic. That movement for greater safety lead to the first use of a safety car, which ties into Clive's previous thread, because the first safety car was a Porsche 914 (I wish I could remember where I read that as I feel the need to site my source) which was Verasaki's favorite small car... I digress.I was appalled when Max Mosely retorted one of Sir Jackie's comments by stating that nobody cares about the rantings of a has-been who dresses like a clown (a paraphrase). I thought for sure it would be grounds for an apology at a later date. I was impressed by the fact that Stewart didn't rise to the bait. He remained a gentleman, and Mosely never apologized. If Mosely's misbehavior couldn't unseat him, I think we will all be shocked by that which does. It will be unanticipated, and it will probably have seemed inevitable once it happens. And I think the same is true of Ecclestone. I eagerly await that day, may it come soon.Perhaps that magic bullet is already chambered... Date Added: 06/01/2009
Nick Goodspeed Sir Jackie has class and style. Two things Ecclestone and Mosley are void of. Date Added: 06/01/2009
donwatters I've long believed Sir Jackie was the ideal candidate to replace Mad Max. Here's a guy who truely knows and understands the sport and would be a welcome breath of fresh air to the current smoke filled back room politics that currently run rampant in F1. Regarding CVC: I would suggest the FOTA simply pull out (with or without the FIA) and leave them hanging. A just reward for their money-grubbing ways. Date Added: 06/01/2009
Clive Whilst agreeing that Sir Jackie would be an magnificent replacement for Max, the sad fact is that he is too old - the same age as Mosley, funnily enough. I feel that F1 should be looking for a president many years younger than the present incumbent, someone who will have fresh vision for the future and the time to see that come to fruition. And I really cannot think of anyone better than Alex Wurz to fill the position, perhaps with Alianora as his right hand assistant. Date Added: 06/01/2009
donwatters Alianora is an inspired choice indeed. After all, she's the only one who truely knows all the rules. Date Added: 06/01/2009
Alianora La Canta I get the distinct impression that between you asking me to be right hand assistant to a new President and Keith Collatine asking why I'm not on an F1 legal team, that doing something to get into the paddock might be a good idea (albeit a medium-to-long-term one).In the shorter term, Alex Wurz would be a good, apolitical, well-spoken choice as FIA President. After all, all that's really needed for an FIA restructure is to find someone running an organisation structured under suitable lines, some assistants who understand the FIA to get the President's intentions implemented correctly and a President clever enough to pick out the best ideas from the current best practise. Date Added: 06/01/2009
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