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.
Steve said on 21st March 2009, 14:35
It seems like Bernie lives in his own world. From his release it seems like he has no knowledge of the proposal put forth by FOTA. He keeps saying that the teams can’t on anything. The WMSC release the other day stated that they voted against the FOTA proposal. It’s really weird how the whole F1 system works with Bernie having such a stake in the company and only being cared about making money for CVC. I do agree that the sport would be better off if the teams owned more of it.
Spen said on 21st March 2009, 14:41
It’s a shame that the enourmously intelligent and powerful Bernie Ecclestone’s ability to make quick, positive decisions has left him in the last year or so.
His decisions and comments are making less sense by the week, and he can’t control the sport as he could up to a couple of years ago.
He has by himself created a fantastic show for us all, and held it together with an iron fist, but it is clearly time for him to step aside, and let someone else carry the reigns.
He has lost touch with the fan-base, the circuits, and the teams, and is looking increasingly less powerful.
I don’t want to insult such a great man, but I hope he realises it’s time to go now, and not pull the sport back down with him, as he battles to keep total control, when it is not possible any more.
tEQUILLA sLAMMER said on 21st March 2009, 15:03
Everybody has taken exception to Bernies “winner takes all” concept for 1 reason !! And that is the fact that through the FIA Bernie has tried to implement this change far too late for everybody to be comfortable with it!!! But when you really think about it from his racing viewpoint, it makes perfect sense!!! I think the way he has “railroaded” this change so close to the start of the season has given the teams too little time to rethink and redesign their overall approach to their strategies for the impending campaign! Its a fair concept from a racers point of view, “winner takes all”, and you measure the season over who wins the most as opposed to who is the most reliable thereby scoring the most points. But, 1 mans meat is another mans poison, so we will all have to wait and see how people feel about it by 2010, as from what he says, Bernie definitely wants the winner takes all rule for then!!! #:)
mondo said on 21st March 2009, 15:06
Just make everything the same as it was 10 – 15 years ago…
Mike G said on 21st March 2009, 15:44
why do the FIA have to make changes?… have the not been watching the last two seasons?
Spiffy said on 21st March 2009, 16:05
Wow. Sounding a bit bitter there, Mr. Ecclestone.
If he keeps insisting on being the proverbial spanner in the works, could we see a modern-day version of the FISA-FOCA war…? And is it out of the realms of possibility to have a Formula One Fans Association?
(For the record, I cautiously believe that his proposed system could have worked, but that FOTA’s proposed system was better.)
Matt said on 21st March 2009, 18:35
Great idea – who’s going to start one?
mkh1 said on 21st March 2009, 19:23
I think Keith should run such an association and it should be called F1fanatic.
Arthur954 said on 21st March 2009, 16:29
Bernie and Mo could not have proposed such crazy ideas without a purpose. They knew there was going to be outrage, but must have calculated that FOTA could be split, taking into account the risk of a breakaway series – perhaps trying to make it easy to lure new teams into the F1 name if the existing ones leave.
I might be imagining conspiracy theories or something, but I really believe that Bernie and Mo are too smart to do such a dumb thing as the recent proposals
GeorgeK said on 21st March 2009, 16:40
Does anyone really think that Max and Bernie didn’t realize they were proposing something that was procedurally incorrect?
I think it was all a smoke screen to distract from the budget cap questions for next year.
If Max truly had no idea he was stepping on his own rules then he really cut his own throat election wise come this October. And we should be grateful for his own arrogance catching up with himself.
Mahir C said on 21st March 2009, 17:27
Now i think I’m beginning to get the rationale behind all those rule changes. It has nothing to do with well being of F1, making it a better show etc. Bernie is desperately trying to hold on to the fact that he is the master in F1 when it clearly is no longer true. Teams have most power now and they will still have in the near future. This most wins idea wont come in 2010 either.
christopher said on 21st March 2009, 17:30
everytime, it’s ‘bernie hits back’, ‘bernie retaliates’, ‘bernie strikes’ etc etc etc…enough already. just shut your mouth
theRoswellite said on 21st March 2009, 17:52
Please permit my presumption. I awoke at 4am this morning and the following came out (must have had a bad night’s sleep).
It is a little take on our friends Bernie and Max.
OUR TWO HEADED MONSTER
From open beak one tongue extending
Repeats in call the shriek unending,
“I am the law, I am the ending,
I have your heart, I have your spending.”
L’etat c’est moi.
While the second head in tilt displays
An eye transfixed in stolid gaze,
Upon the knot where it doth sit
With claws sunk deep in legal writ.
L’etat c’est moi.
This bird of body girth unending
Can only flop in flight pretending.
While it’s two heads on necks entwined,
Spin round about, unravel then rewind.
L’etat c’est moi.
Is this our future, this our past,
To stand forever with pleas held fast,
And our reward, just duff and feather dander
Falling from our own, this Uber-Overlander.
L’etat c’est moi.
“THE STATE, IT IS I.”
Matt said on 21st March 2009, 18:34
What other sport allows the commercial rights holder to make so many decisions? Bernie should leave the politics alone and concentrate on providing what fans want, like HD coverage and enhanced internet experiences. Leave the regulations to the people who actually have to fork out to run the teams….
IDR said on 21st March 2009, 18:52
I could say it loudly but not more clearly.
100% Agree.
Pink Peril said on 22nd March 2009, 0:45
Agree totally. I’ve said it before, the poison drawf’s job is to arrange races. Nothing else. This comment though is intersting “but we will do next year. There is nothing the teams can do about it then”.
We, Bernie? Are you part of the FIA now? I know S&Max is in your pocket but I don’t beleive even that gives you offical capacity in the FIA(L).
Chaz said on 21st March 2009, 20:20
I wonder what F1 would be like if Bernie had complete say over every aspect of the sport. Do you think it would still be worth watching…
Bigbadderboom said on 21st March 2009, 20:55
Lets not forget what Bernie has done for our sport, its profile is massive, it’s appeal is worldwide, its fan base is encouraged to debate as we do. However it is apparent to all that there is a need for more clarity and transparence in all that governs F1. I say thanks to Bernie but it is obvious to most that the time has come to pass on a lot of the responsibility. Bernie is no longer the ring master of F1 and there is a real risk of F1 becoming the WWF of the motorsport world. The last thing we all want is for F1 to become a joke. We need our own governing body compromising of ex drivers, team owners and fans.
matt said on 21st March 2009, 21:18
I read this in the sun earlier, found it pretty funny. They portrayed the turnaround as an embarrassment, as it is, so the FIA’s versoin of events isn’t standing up too well. But they didn’t mention the system agreed by fota in the bit where bernie said the teams were arguing. Still, I’m glad that on the whole the FIA has come up looking silly, not just here, but in the national press too.