Supermarket boss tipped as Ecclestone successor

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In the round-up: Sainsbury’s boss Justin King tipped as successor to Bernie Ecclestone.

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Bernie Ecclestone fails to deny F1 rumours over Sainsbury’s boss (The Guardian)

“[Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin] King recently drove into a storm of controversy when it came to light that five brands with business ties to Sainsbury’s sponsor the racing career of his son Jordan. Last year Jordan King finished second in the Formula Renault Northern European championship and this year will race in European Formula 3, a junior series two steps below Formula One.”

Vergne rails against team-mate battle (Autosport)

“People want to make out that there is a big fight. I don’t care. I’m here to do my job and get the best result for the team.”

Claire Williams defies dad Frank to close on top job (The Sun)

“When his daughter, Claire first applied for a job working in the team’s press office his reply was short ? ‘no f-ing way!’ he blasted.”

Bahrain villagers protest against race as memory of last year’s riots casts cloud on approaching Grand Prix (Daily Mail)

“This picture, taken on Easter Sunday, shows foreign labourers in the village of Barbar, west of the capital Manama, collecting equipment against a wall sprayed with graffiti in protest at the upcoming race.”

Taki Inoue: interview with a pay driver (MotorSport)

“After qualifying 26th and last, he lost fifth and sixth gears at the start before aquaplaning into the pit wall on lap three. ‘The car felt so bad,’ he says, ‘and it was a good thing I crashed early on because I didn’t even know what the pit stop procedure was.'”

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Comment of the day

I wasn’t convinced the official F1 Live Timing app is worth paying for but Tandrews says otherwise:

I got this app for the Australian Grand Prix when I was sitting in the stands. I found it great for timing because the big screens at the circuit don’t show the times of the cars in a qualifying or practice session and even then the overall positions are hard to see on the big screens due to their small size.

The car tracker is pretty accurate as well as it helps see if cars are have good gap for a run (came in handy in Q1 in the rain before it was qualifying was cancelled) or if a car can make it back over the line in time for a final flying lap.

I also used a bit when watching the Malaysian GP to check tyre compounds and it’s good with showing sector times and gaps between cars in the races.

Even though it’s quite expensive I think it’s pretty good value for a full year and i would recommend it to anyone who is going to a grand prix this year who wants more information than what they can see on track and circuit commentary.
Tandrews (@Tomand95)

From the forum

Happy birthday!

No F1 Fanatic birthdays today.

If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

But it is Shinji Nakano’s birthday. The Japanese driver who raced in F1 in 1997 and 1998 is 42 today.

Nakano came close to scoring a point on his debut for Prost at Melbourne and picked up two sixth places during his first season. A move to Minardi the following year saw less success. After leaving in F1 he raced raced single seaters in America, crossing the divide between CART and the IRL.

Since then he has mainly raced sportscars in Japan and has also been a regular at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Image © Red Bull/Getty

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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71 comments on “Supermarket boss tipped as Ecclestone successor”

  1. Sainsbury’s? DuPont F1? Taki “Weed” Inoue? Too much awe and laughter in one roundup…

    1. I’m thankful for it

    2. The US F1 team project is dead for good?

      1. They’re beyond dead – the FIA has banned them from ever competing in Formula 1 for bringing the sport into disrepute. That might sound like the FIA trumping up the charge to mete out holy judgement on the team, but when you think about it, they do have a point: USF1 was one of over twenty entries the FIA received to join the grid in 2010. Despite their constant assurances that everything was going according to plan, the entire venture proved to be an expensive waste of time, effort and money. The team caused considerable embarrassment to both the FIA and the sport, since they had been talking themselves up for months before entries were due, and they were the only team that failed to make it. The FIA evidently (and rightfully) felt that that entry could have been put to better use by someone else, and so took pains to ensure that USF1 could never waste time like that again.

      2. Well Dupont is a US based company…

    3. aaaaaand its an e-novel by Alex Wurz’s wife.

      Wut.

  2. Now which one is the April fool……I don’t trust anything today……

    Anybody try Google Nose yet!!! I been sniffing this picture of “Hungry Heidi” for the last 9 minutes but haven’t got a scent yet!

    1. Let’s hope that the situation in Bahrain is also a prank.

      1. That would be a very nice surprise. Shame its a one running for 3 years now.

    2. @mach1

      Now which one is the April fool……

      Everything written in The Sun

  3. Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
    1st April 2013, 0:09

    Dupont F1. Just happens to coincide with April fool’s, huh?

    1. Well after a quick search, it appears, via F1 Rejects, that the domain belongs to Alex Wurz’s Mrs., who just happens to have published an F1 novel containing a team principal by the name of Dupont. So it would seem that we are not getting a new team, almost as bad an April Fools trick as when on a day trip to Paris on our French Exchange, our teachers said we were going to Disneyland. Unfortunately, it just so happened to be April 1st and they later informed us that Michael Jackson had taken over the park and was barring access :(

  4. Michael Brown (@)
    1st April 2013, 0:40

    Oh look. Another Anti-F1 protest in Bahrain. Can’t wait for the political discussions again.

    1. @lite992
      Oh look. Another Anti-F1 protest in Bahrain. Can’t wait for the political discussions again.
      Indeed. they seems to come out of the bushes around this time a year!

      1. I wonder why…

      2. Yeah, because for the rest of the year the world happily turns a blind eye.

      3. They have been around all year really @karter22, its just Keith does not put each and every one of them into the Roundup (naturally)

        1. Like this, for example – http://rt.com/news/stun-grenades-protest-bahrain-202/ the fact things increase in tension between mid februari and April is pretty logical when one realizes the clashes began Feb 14 2011 and violence cumulated at the end of March before the Saudi troops “came in to help”.

    2. I am pretty sure they will go to Bahrain this year as Bernie said “we will return to Bahrain forever”. People who organise the GP will definitely do everything they can to make the GP a “green light”. As they weren’t sure for last year if it was going to go ahead as they weren’t prepared

      1. Sure they will. Personally, I decided to care more about what people have to say about their rulers long time ago and I know what is like living under limited freedom under not so inclusive institutions so I understand and back their fight to “overcome this little struggle” as Bob Marley would’ve put it.

        However, odd as it looks, F1 is still their best stage to show the world their outrage and for that, somehow, they should thank Bernie and FOM…

        1. That’s what I’ve been thinking for the last 2 years. Last year I said after F1 nobody will talk about Bahrain anymore. And really, apart from a few tiny bits, which I had to actually look for… Nothing.
          Now F1s back and Bahrain is suddenly a topic again.

          The government sucks, let’s protest a sport which brings international attention to us once a year.

    3. I still don’t fully understand why the Bahrain Grand Prix is so controversial. World opinion was more or less ok with the fact that the Olympics was hosted in China and that the World Cup is going to be hosted in Qatar. I fail to see why this is any different.

      From the early 1990s onwards, pretty much every successful global sport has operated like a business, for better or worse. And businesses move to where the money flows from. I don’t like it much either, but its the way things are. No real point in singling out F1.

      1. @kibblesworth

        You’re right but in the “perfect world” morals should win over money, shouldn’t it?

        You and me know the world is not perfect but it’s a valid point still, just like it was when a few decades ago the world decided to boycott apartheid South Africa.

        1. But I wouldn’t mind if F1 went to Cape Town but unfortunately it ruled out a bid for a return next year or if they went to Argentina. They were planning for both of these GPs and then all of a sudden it evaporated very quickly. France should definitely appear either next year or 2015 when the F1 circus is suppose to be around 23/24 races for the calendar

          1. They were planning for both of these GPs and then all of a sudden it evaporated very quickly.

            There was a political element to those announcements. For instance, it has been suggested that the talk of a race in Argentina was designed to get the government a bit of a public opinion boost more than it was to get an actual race.

          2. @william

            I’d love to have a race in South Africa (I’m 2h45 away from CT) but seems that South African tax payers would not back such a deal so they need to make it work with little Government financial support and it sounds highly improbable…

      2. World opinion was more or less ok with the fact that the Olympics was hosted in China

        That isn’t how I remember it.

      3. World opinion was more or less ok with the fact that the Olympics was hosted in China and that the World Cup is going to be hosted in Qatar.

        That’s strange because I remember there being quite a lot of protests outside of various Chinese Embassies, IOC offices and many cases of direct action taking place while the Olympic torch was on its way to China.
        There have also been plenty of protests about Qatar getting the World Cup.

        Corporate, media and government opinion may have been largely positive but lots of “ordinary” people, sports fans and human rights organisations around the world were outraged by both.

    4. Sshhh don’t encourage them…..

      1. Recently I feel like a crappy human being for watching F1, and these kinds of comments only make it worst. Not only is F1 getting less interesting, and more political WITHIN the sport (team orders), it is getting anti-political outside it’s own world. It is the pinnacle of motor sport, as many like to call it, which actually means it’s the playground of the oil industry, which is one of the main villains of the last two centuries, and it goes around selling it’s prostitute teams and drivers to the sheiks and barons of oil without any shame or respect for the poverty and misery of those who live around the circuit.

        Still… I can’t stop watching it. Bad habits die hard.

        1. *please read ‘its’ whenever you see ‘it’s’ – too early in the morning for me.*

          1. which actually means it’s the playground of the oil industry

            This one is valid ;)

  5. I agree with the COTD. This is the third year I’ve purchased the official timing app, and couldn’t watch the sport without it anymore, it’s become such an invaluable part of my viewing experience. It’s pricey, but if you consider its cost spread out over the who season it’s really not that bad for what you get. The visual of being able to see where cars are on track (and the addition of tire compounds this year) makes it a lot easier to understand what teams are doing with different strategies.

    1. After some positive reviews I’ve read here, I thinking about getting it too. The price is quite steep but seems like a good buy.

  6. Bernie was a used car dealer. Why not supermarket CEO can be F1 chief?

    1. I don’t think is about what he is used to be, but Bernie is special.

      He is not only smart, he is calculator and like him or not he has build F1 to what it is.

      1. Which depending on how you view developments since he took over, could be a bad thing. Its a shame a real through and through racer couldnt take his place.

        1. Rules and economy aren’t Bernie’s fault, and the fact that we can enjoy F1 is because he developed a plan to become the sport global. For F1 to keep going it needs to continue to be a good bussines or it will dissapear. By example you can see how sport that aren’t popular are being dropped from broadcast, like figure skating that once was one of the most watched sport (early 90s) .

          If a ex driver can do that job is debatable. Is not a question of loving the sport, but know how to do bussines that help growing it.

          1. @celeste, sorry but the world and F1 existed before you and Bernie Ecclestone took an interest in it, and it was an international sport even then. What has made F1 such an international success is the advent of worldwide live TV broadcasting very shortly after Bernie signed up to manage things for the teams. Bernie is the problem , not the answer.

          2. @celeste, of course your praise of Bernie may be an April Fools joke, in which case please accept my apologies.

          3. @hohum of course F1 exist before I took interest in it, I’m still young :P

      2. It’s solid now. There’s no need for a “special one” too keep it going and growing if possible. There hundreds of good managers out there who could take the seat and perform as good or better than Bernie.

  7. First COTD! Thanks Keith

  8. As a former grocery guy, I’m all for it! Of course we need to find out as soon as possible if Justin King is that guy who would be replacement for Bernie Ecclestone. That way he could start immediately to be subjected to our collective and infinite scrutinization, psychoanalysis, rumorizing, ruminations and incriminations until he is completely vetted by the general public with little or no say so in his choice. Does he have the financial qualifications to be the chosen one, errrrr… the elected one, errrrr… the selected one based on his ability to successfully lead F1? Is he to be chosen like the pope in sequestered back rooms with divine guidance by his fellow F1 cardinals as it were? Or will he be chosen by the deity-like ex officio current head of the super-rich organized chaos that is F1? Inquiring minds want to know!

  9. WoOWW,
    FOM reacted quickly to all the critics about the overpriced app and gives it for free to the first 100 people who will sent them an email with the passfrase ” goodbye Mr. E , I’ll miss you”

    1. Happy April’s fool day ;)

  10. King recently drove into a storm of controversy when it came to light that five brands with business ties to Sainsbury’s sponsor the racing career of his son Jordan.

    can someone explain why this would be controversial?

    1. I imagine using company money to further the career of your son, when there is a spurious at best financial case to do so, is pretty controversial.

  11. I would be pleased if Justin King is Bernie’s successor, not for any political reason but more because I have meet him personally, he was really nice, more that what can be said for Bernie, he is a family friend and his son Jordan was in the year above me at school.
    However, I’m not sure he still works for Sainsbury’s though, and one factor I would fear most is that we would see more pay drivers in the future, after all he would be paying for his own son.

    1. Oh..well the article says he still does work for Sainsbury’s, don’t know where I heard that.

    2. Justin King went to my college, although not at same time as I did. ;)

  12. Breaking News: Sebastian Vettel will race in the Toro Rosso for the Chinese Grand Prix alongside him is Jean Eric-Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo promoting him alongside is Mark Webber. It will be an all Australian driver line up in the RB9

    1. April Fools (There have been loads of these Sebastian Vettel April Fools going round)

      1. I will be furious if it was an April Fools Joke but clearly he should be benched or moved to Toro Rosso

        1. @william – It’s obviously an April Fool’s Day joke. Don’t you think that it’s the least bit strange that a major event like this has not been reported by a single leading news source like Keith or Autosport?

          1. @prisoner-monkeys
            I got it from YallaF1 via gptoday.com which I was thought it was all true until I read that the “Toro Rosso were so happy to see Seb back” with a picture that look so old when he won in Monza 2008.

        2. @william

          but clearly he should be benched or moved to Toro Rosso

          You’re good at these April fools!

          1. @vettel1
            But the top post I thought it was all real and its all over the Internet. I am truly not good at the April Fools Joke but if it is one you will pick it up straight away

  13. Very nice link to the Taki Inoue story about being the ‘world’s worst F1 driver’. Nice, self-effacing stuff from someone who really should not have been there at all. His refreshing, non-ego driven honesty is most welcome.
    I know F1 drivers (and probably all professional drivers) need to believe in their own superiority and that their drive to win is absolutely vital. But sometimes, it’s great to read one of them saying “I was pretty rubbish . . .”

  14. If Justin King did replace Bernie, imagine the amount of Nectar points we would be able to collect when buying Grand Prix tickets!? :P

  15. That Taki Inoue piece is hilarious!

    1. What a man!

      In a recent poll, he voted for himself as the worst F1 driver ever

      Brilliant!

  16. F1 – taste the difference !!

  17. Is it bad I’m looking through the round up trying to figure out which jokes are April Fools?

    1. Nope doing the exact same thin here. When English is not your mother tongue it becomes just that little bit harder :-)

  18. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
    1st April 2013, 11:53

    I really hate F1 sometimes. Of course Vergne is interested in beating Ricciardo, there’s a flaming Red Bull seat up for grabs for Christ sake! I mean, what is the point of this culture of blatant denial? F1 please listen to me. Vergne, you are interested in beating your teammate, Red Bull, the Webber-Vettel row is not settled, Grosjean, you are worrying about crashing, and Perez, of course you’re disappointed by McLaren’s performance! Rant over.

  19. And “Dupont F1” turns out to be the setting of a Novel by Alex Wurz’s wife. And my interest level just fell like a stone.

    1. I find it interesting to note that the novel appears to be fully-sanctioned by Formula 1. Browing through the team’s website, I noticed that there are a lot of references to other, real-life teams. For instance, one of the characters supposedly raced with Williams F1 and ART Grand Prix, and the “championship” tab has an entry list that features almost all of this year’s teams and drivers; Sauber, Marussia and Caterham are the only omissions.

      Assuming that all of this is content mirrored in the actual novel, then it stands out in my mind because I’ve never known Formula 1 to be licenced in a fictional context like this before. Sylvester Stallone came close to it with Driven before Bernie Ecclestone (wisely) backed out, and I cannot name another work that used Formula 1 as a framing device, much less as a fully-authorised production with real teams and drivers featured in it.

  20. LOL at Taki!!!!!

  21. Moh'd AlAmmari
    2nd April 2013, 9:20

    I’m happy that not everyone talks about Bahrain as if they live in Bahrain , protesters are trying to get more attention from the media and F1 is their best way. It’s a shame how they use the event for their own selfish ambitious.
    I as a Bahraini can’t wait to attend the race anyways and I will gladly ignore political topics regarding Bahrain and F1.

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