Ecclestone hits back at teams over rules
Bernie Ecclestone has hit back at the F1 teams after seeing his plans for a ‘most wins’ based championship system fail:
That’s the problem with democracy. These teams couldn’t agree with themselves let alone each other. The simple fact is that because the sporting regs are out the FIA cannot do anything for now, but we will do next year. There is nothing the teams can do about it then. For now it’s just a shame that fans, the sporting public, may not see the kind of racing they would have done under the system I put forward.
You have to question his grasp of the facts on reading this.
The teams did agree among themselves, and proposed a new championship points system only 16 days ago which the FIA chose to ignore in favour of its own.
The FIA could have brought in the 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 system because that had the full support of the teams.
And his appeal to “the fans” seems completely out of touch with what most of them actually want. The reaction to the ‘most wins’ system on this site was overwhelmingly negative.




Kester said on 21st March 2009, 11:10
The reaction everywhere I have seen has been negative as well.
Richard Merk said on 21st March 2009, 17:39
Bernie has done a lot for formula 1, and is use to being a visionary for the sport. In the later years it is obvious that he has been struggling to make the correct decisions, and it would be frightening for formula 1 if he is truly oblivious of it. Old age is a fact of life no matter how much money you have. Please Bernie, toss in the towel, slap on your depends and allow another visionary to bring formula 1 into the next decade.
Bernie’s chokehold on f1 rights is limiting access by the fans. Video game publishers have given up because of the expenses of licensing which is incredibly frustrating, and the official formula 1 website is a pathetic attempt push his propaganda. If he’s not willing to face the facts and give the fans what they want, Formula 1 is never going to reach its full potential.
Andy said on 21st March 2009, 11:12
it would seem Bernie can’t have all that many marbles left to lose these days!
Keirde said on 21st March 2009, 11:39
The old man is going crazy and losing grip with the reality of F1. Hopefully his new system will never come in, and it was just an FIA muscle flexing exercise to annoy FOTA.
mkh1 said on 21st March 2009, 11:40
So he intends to carry on with his delusions, how sad and pathetic.
Also why haven’t the F1 website published the results for the medals survey they did a few months ago?
tifosi4eva said on 21st March 2009, 11:46
It’s statements like these that show you just how deluded the old man actually is! I cannot wait for him to retire from F1 (although I’m starting to think that day will never come) so we can have some decent rules and not a battle betweent the teams and the FIA.
chaostheory said on 21st March 2009, 11:46
He still lives in XX century – and thanks to him entire sport is still in XX century (80′s maybe)when it comes to fans, public relation, media and such. I think it wont be a lie when ill say: F1 dont know internet yet.
Loki said on 21st March 2009, 11:48
Wouldn’t you love to visit Bernie’s crack just to see the place where he gets all his chat from?
Coming from the man who thought Grand Prix’s were sold out for the upcoming year.
Bigbadderboom said on 21st March 2009, 11:49
He is digging a himself one hell of a hole, we do joke but is he really loosing it….The man has a lot on his plate right now including his missus taking half his cash!!! He is a control freak out of control He has a bit of a driver rebelion, a teams rebelion and the fans look like we have lost faith!!
And now we are being TOLD what we will enjoy! The arragonce is astounding!!!
Sush Meerkat said on 21st March 2009, 17:24
I concur, for the first time in his life his plans haven’t worked in his favour.
He made a bid for Honda, didn’t work
He tried to dispel FOTA, didn’t work
only reason he made a bid for honda is so that he was elligible to be at FOTA meetings.
Rob Wilson said on 21st March 2009, 12:33
they should go for the 12, 9, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points system, that way the driver who wins gets a three point advantage over the second place man = more insentive to win…the “winner takes it all” thing was a bad idea (sorry bernie) the championship wuld have been decided, i think, long before the final race of the season. + consistancy is not rewarded on that basis either eg. someone could have the odd race win here and there (be unconsistant) and win the championship, compared to someone who could finish 2nd in every race, and get little reward.
IDR said on 21st March 2009, 12:44
So, the rest of the world is wrong… That’s the problem with democracy, Bernie.
Before returning back here with more ideas…
…you should buy a dessert and sweep it!!!
David - BR said on 21st March 2009, 12:49
Classic. Is there a grown-up version of Formula 1 anywhere?
mani said on 21st March 2009, 13:02
Arrogant Bernie… May be you can rename the sport as Bernie racing and do whatever you wish (also inform FIA, the teams are completely with you on that… of course, we’ve another idiot sitting there to do it). With your idiotic ideas, F1 can’t be the best of its kind.
Clive said on 21st March 2009, 13:12
Sounds to me as though Bernie’s furious. That has to be a sign that FOTA is getting to him. Go FOTA!
Stoo said on 21st March 2009, 13:13
He’s acting like a spoilt child.
The 12-9-7 points system would be much fairer and give greater edge to the guy who wins the races, and I would agree a better way to go. But basing it on a badly thought up version of his gold-silver-bronze idea takes the mickey out of the drivers, the teams, and us fans.
One day the FIA/FOM corruption will stop…
Alex P said on 21st March 2009, 13:42
The FIA orginally changed the points system as a way to stop ferrari And Shumi winning by such a large margin. if they had left the points difference between 1 and 2 then the man with the most wins would naturally win the championship usually