In the round-up: Rupert Murdoch’s long time associate Chase Carey has been tipped to become chairman of Formula 1 as part of a takeover of the sport by Liberty Media.
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Carey To Take F1 Helm As £6.1bn Liberty Takeover Nears Finish Line (Sky News)
"Sky News understands that Chase Carey, a long-standing lieutenant of Rupert Murdoch, is likely to be named as chairman of F1's parent company as soon as Monday. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, who has chaired F1 for the last two years, is to step down from the role but is expected to remain on the board as a non-executive director."
F1 takeover speculation could spell end of road for Bernie Ecclestone (Guardian)
"However, when this was all put to Ecclestone after Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix he had a one-word reply. 'Bullshit,' he said."
Liberty Media faces competition for sale of Formula 1 (Autosport)
"But CVC is also understood to still be negotiating with RSE Ventures, an investment firm run by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who is working in tandem with a Qatari consortium, and another as yet unnamed private equity firm."
Maurizio Arrivabene Q&A: Ferrari on an upward trend (Formula1.com)
"I was hearing after the race some comments about one stop being the worst strategy - and I was laughing together with our engineers when I heard that. Because with one stop you would have to take yourself back at some point in the race - and we’ve been totally the opposite."
Button 'made mistakes I shouldn't have', blames preparation (F1i)
"The first lap was a mess and I made mistakes I shouldn’t have. Hopefully I can be let off for that, it’s been an emotional weekend and not the best preparation at all."
Stroll on pole for Williams race seat in 2017 (Motorsport.com)
"Several sources in the Monza paddock have indicated that the deal has already been agreed in principle – but the Canadian will first have to guarantee that he qualifies for a Formula 1 superlicence in 2017."
Monza 1988: The one that got away (McLaren)
"McLaren, too, has its own ‘the one that got away’ story: the 1988 Italian Grand Prix, the one race that frustratingly fell short of our reach during an otherwise-dominant season spent racing the McLaren-Honda MP4/4 with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost."
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
From where I sit grandstands are not full. I would say its 70 % full
— Dimi PAPADOPOULOS (@f1enigma) September 4, 2016
Pretty sure Bernie shed a tear on the grid during the anthem. Or else had something in his eye. Emotional day? #F1 #Monza
— Mark Gallagher (@_markgallagher) September 4, 2016
Bernie E tells me no deal (yet) and everything being said is "bullsh**"
— Kevin Eason (@easonF1) September 4, 2016
I just love it how Ricciardo just sends it down the inside whenever he’s got a sniff! Great move #ItalianGP #F1
— Heikki Kovalainen (@H_Kovalainen) September 4, 2016
Better to make it clear now, never said I would replace Daniil in Singapore, just said that I hope to get my opportunity in F1 asap. #rumour
— Pierre Gasly (@PierreGASLY) September 4, 2016
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Comment of the day
After the Italian Grand Prix received some less than thrilling reviews from fans, @jowen7448 offers their analysis of the current state of racing in the sport…
I thought the race was OK. I don’t mind particularly if there isn’t much overtaking up the front end, or even if there is no direct wheel to wheel into a braking zone. I think what irks me most about current f1 races is the lack of tension, some of which is generated by the tyres. (I do acknowledge that we have had some very good races this year however)
For example when two similar cars are separated by 10 seconds on track wearing the same tyres of a similar age, the chances are that by the end of the stint the gap will be similar. We will never get stints like Schumacher’s infamous Hungary 98 because it isn’t possible to run flat out for a full stint. And so even though we can think that a driver behind is arguably faster, or out of position etc pace is limited by the tyre overheating and degradation. And so you kind or resign yourself to the fact they aren’t going to bring down the gap and so there is no suspense.
On tyres that could go flat out, watching Hamilton be able to run flat out every lap to try and make up for the start (there would be some argument that he should be able to chip away consistently if this was the case based on yesterday), whether he makes it or not, would at least add suspense, whereas knowing that on the same strategy its unlikely takes that away.
I know this isn’t the only contributor, and certainly isn’t a new opinion but for me this is one of the most annoying aspects of the current regulations.
@jowen7448
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Uzair Syed (@ultimateuzair)
5th September 2016, 0:07
I don’t like the look of this Chase Carey guy. His mustache looks threatening. Also the ties with Rupert Murdoch are also worrying.
Craig Wilde (@wildfire15)
5th September 2016, 0:12
Any association with Rupert Murdoch immediately makes me concerned. That man has far too much power.
Strontium (@strontium)
5th September 2016, 0:28
+2 to both of you
BasCB (@bascb)
5th September 2016, 7:01
It read there is some sort of long standing “fight” between Liberty Media and Murdoch for media power. Taking on his ex-luitenant was sort of a move to ire Rupert @wildfire15, @strontium, @ultimateuzair. It might make it interesting to see how F1 and Sky go on long term if Liberty really scoops it up.
bogaaaa (@nosehair)
5th September 2016, 12:14
Carey is excellent operator and helped sailed Fox and newscorp thru some very stormy seas over the years, l am sure he would be a very good administrator…but surely Claire Williams would be a better fit .with her gritty hard nose business acumen and vast experience (cough)
@HoHum (@hohum)
5th September 2016, 0:34
Interestingly, it appears to be a main competitor to Murdoch making the move, I’ll believe it only after it has happened. Trying to be “glass half-full” type I hope that more emphasis will be placed on improving the racing (to increase TV viewership) than extracting every last dollar out of the sport.
Biggsy
5th September 2016, 0:38
@hohum
“I hope that more emphasis will be placed on improving the racing (to increase TV viewership) than extracting every last dollar out of the sport.”
Aaaaaaaahahahahahahah XD
Good joke! :)
ColdFly F1 (@)
5th September 2016, 6:17
petebaldwin (@)
5th September 2016, 11:49
@hohum – Despite the saying about how the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, when one of the sides is Bernie Ecclestone I’m not sure it applies!
Things can’t get worse in my opinion. I have tried hard to think about what someone could do in an ownership sense to make F1 worse than it currently is and I have come up with nothing that could realistically happen.
I have reservations about people with links to Murdoch but in all fairness, he is in the media business and knows that products have to be good in order to sell. You won’t catch Murdoch (or any of the others involved) saying that kids’ interest in F1 is irrelevant because they won’t buy Rolex watches. They’ll do more to get kids hooked on the sport so they can sell it to their parents and make 10x what Rolex are paying!
Robbie (@robbie)
5th September 2016, 13:03
Yeah Martin Brundle, I thought, put it in an interesting light by distinguishing an investment firm such as CVC whose main function is profit making (not that businesses aren’t all there to make profit) whereas a media corporation can think more long-term about building a brand and don’t need immediate maximum possible withdrawal of money’s to satisfy shareholders year after year starting from year one.
I agree things can’t be much worse and it starts with the product on the track. Thankfully changes in that regard are happening. I understand the praise toward BE for building F1 up to what it is and making a lot of people very rich, but he has lost the plot and if he is to be praised (read credited) for where F1 has come from, he is also to be blamed for where they are now.
petebaldwin (@)
5th September 2016, 13:24
That’s it – a media corporation won’t want to own F1 to bleed it dry like CVC/Bernie has been doing. They will want to make it must watch TV so that they can exclusively cover it and make money that way.
Someone like Murdoch taking over will create new problems for the sport but in my opinion, the sport itself will be massively improved. Since Sky have been heavily involved in Premiership football, it has become the most watched league across the world. This has happened because so much money goes to the teams which brings the best players and therefore, the fans.
F1 is currently hugely unpopular amongst non-fanatics. People just don’t care. I tried speaking to people in work today about Monza and they all looked blankly at me. “Oh the F1 you mean? I didn’t know that was on this weekend” they said.
Bernie doesn’t care about that because the people I speak about can’t afford Rolex watches and don’t get involved in investment banking. Murdoch would have a very different opinion on this. He’d say “how can I get them to pay to watch it on my TV channel?”
In order for that to happen, it has to be “must-see.” F1 isn’t must-see and hasn’t been for years. It’s become something to do at the weekend but if I miss a race because I have something else to do, I’m OK with that. A few years ago, it would have been laughable to even think about me missing a race whereas a few times this season, I’ve fast-forwarded through some highlights in the evening to see if anything interesting happened.
fast
6th September 2016, 1:54
Liberty will continue to strip and leverage F1 of its value more effectively and efficiently than CVC. When finished they will leave her naked by the side of the road. At least CVC drover her home.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
5th September 2016, 18:33
We’re already watching the race sky want’s us to see. These days there’s a lot of talk about net neutrality, tv neutrality has been lost 30 years ago.
Richard (@rick1984)
5th September 2016, 22:11
Hey leave his ‘tache alone!!!
@HoHum (@hohum)
5th September 2016, 0:13
COTD ! Right on the money.
Strontium (@strontium)
5th September 2016, 0:31
Every few weeks there’s another thing that ‘threatens’ Ecclestone’s future in F1, and honestly I think it’s rubbish every time. He’s proven time and time again that he’s not going anywhere. The only thing that will stop him eventually is his physical condition. In the mean-time, as much as we really cannot stand him, I see it as a blessing in disguise, having looked at the names rumoured to potentially take over him.
Mrs Hamilton
5th September 2016, 2:27
…mental condition
ColdFly F1 (@)
5th September 2016, 8:16
I think it’s proven by now that his ‘mental condition’ has not deterred him!
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
5th September 2016, 0:40
Is this Stroll guy good?
Stroll guy
5th September 2016, 4:57
Yes
BasCB (@bascb)
5th September 2016, 6:57
He is seems to have decent talent, but certainly good money from his dad @come-on-kubica
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
5th September 2016, 8:08
@come-on-kubica
When he was in the FDA racing in F4, he used to arrive at the circuits in a helicopter !
Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
5th September 2016, 15:18
Is really hard to know.
The results suggest he’s got the pace, but then as @bascb says he has the best of the best of everything too…
Apparently he has Williams engineers working on his F3 car (for what sentences starting with ‘apparently’ are worth)
Forrest
5th September 2016, 15:56
I don’t know about his F3 campaign, but I wasn’t impressed by his driving in the Chip Ganassi prototype at the Daytona 24 hour race earlier this year. I think long term Williams would be better off negotiating a discount on their engine deal and putting Wehrlein in the car next to Bottas.
mfreire
5th September 2016, 1:52
If F1 gets sold to Liberty Media, then we could see the New Jersey/NYC GP come to life. Hopefully.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
5th September 2016, 6:01
It’s all about the money chin chin…
6.1 B for F1, 30.0 M for a race seat at Williams. They are in pole position then. Can you guys imagine what their non pay driver will do at Williams when Williams has 30M more bucks?
And for leadership of F1? Let’s change it. Cannot be much worse.
anon
5th September 2016, 7:23
@jureo, people said the same about Max Mosely being replaced by Jean Todt, yet I wonder how many would be satisfied with that change now.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
5th September 2016, 7:55
Be afraid, be very afraid. Stoll is a much worse version of Max Verstappen.
He’s more dangerous on the track, with countless dangerous incidents that eventually led to a ban.
He persistently refused to acknowledge it or calls for change. Only recently has he shown willingness to change.
He’s also not nearly as talented as a debut with Williams would suggest. He’s buying his way in. He’s buying his F3 title right now and his father bought Prema and brought it into GP2 so his son could race for them. Don’t get me wrong, he’s quite good. Maybe in a few years he’d have reached F1. But he’s the personification of privilege and it shows in his driving antics.
Doubt he’ll get the same vitriol, mind.
Neil (@neilosjames)
5th September 2016, 18:01
I like to think a pay driver tooling around and driving like an idiot would get more hate than a guy who got there on talent. But then, Stroll probably won’t be racing against people or teams with lots of fans, so you’re probably right.
hahostolze
6th September 2016, 8:09
I follow F3, and some people really aren’t happy with him. He has Williams design parts for his (and only his) career and Prema actually use team orders to let him win. That coupled with the dangerous driving and pigheaded response to it makes him quite the black sheep.
Phil-F1-21
6th September 2016, 18:39
I know I will sound like an old man (i’m not that old) but I think there is a growing trend of letting some people race when they are too young to deal with it. Obviously everyone grows up at a different pace but not admitting you are in the wrong on the track, ever is a sign of a lack of maturity. If this is the way F1 is going it’s not going to be good or safe.
I think the expectation should be that a driver is old enough to have a regular driving license plus a few years experience so maybe aged 20 or 21 when they get their superlicense? I don’t think there will ever be a minimum age set by the rulemakers but the teams need to exercise a bit of common sense here. As in many sports there is often this view prevalent that younger (and fast with it) is always better. I’m not sure this is the right view.
I don’t think the financial pressure on teams to include pay drivers is helpful in this respect either. The choices are not being made in the interests of the sport or of those involved in the longer term.
GeeMac (@geemac)
5th September 2016, 8:56
If history tells us anything it is that BC Ecclestone is always a step ahead of his opponents. Time and time again he has proved that it is nigh on impossible to bamboozle the man. This is the reason I just don’t buy these stories about Bernie being ousted, I can’t bring myself to believe he has been blindsided.
You can say what you want about him, but F1 owes him a lot. People seem to be quite happy to see the back of him but to those people I say: Be careful what you wish for…someone linked to Rupert Murdoch is coming into the sport. That cannot be good.
petebaldwin (@)
5th September 2016, 11:55
Totally disagree with that. F1 doesn’t owe Bernie anything. Perhaps it did at some point but I’m sure the billions he has taken out of the sport have more than paid off that debt.
As I mentioned above, the worst that could come from this situation would be F1 remaining as it is. I fail to see how it could get worse from an ownership perspective.
Robbie (@robbie)
5th September 2016, 13:15
Well a lot of people have gotten very rich thanks to BE’s contribution over the decades, so they would say they owe him everything, but yes I think that if that credit is due him, so is criticism for where they are now, and I think change is overdue. But I envision that change in ownership could still see BE with a role. Hopefully though it is as Martin Brundle has suggested and it won’t all be about maximizing withdrawal of money from the sport but rather investing in the product for the long haul. I would add that although BE is at the forefront of the evolution of F1 since the 70’s, I don’t think he is the only one who could have done what he did. The explosion of huge money in sport via television rights was going to happen with or without BE but he was in the right place at the right time, and of course had the smarts, to capitalize. F1 will survive without him whenever that happens.
Selbbin (@selbbin)
5th September 2016, 10:32
Are Todt and Ecclestone both winking? Yeah, we’re keeping Monza, trust us…
Neil (@neilosjames)
5th September 2016, 10:41
Liberty looks like a far better owner for the sport than CVC. Like they might try to actually make the series work, and profit that way, rather than just piling on debt and stripping out every penny they can without a care for what happens when they finally extract their bleeding tentacles.
I’m a bit concerned about Chase Carey, though. That facial growth is truly magnificent… will be a PPV-quality walrus-off when he meets Dr Zetsche.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
5th September 2016, 13:43
I misread the headline as Chevy Chase.
Exactly the kind of showbiz guy that pair of winkers in the photo would bring in.
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
5th September 2016, 13:58
From a comment I posted yesterday regarding Liberty media & Chase Carey……..
————————————
For all the complaints fans aim towards CVC & Bernie & I know that many will initially welcome this deal……. However i’d be very, very careful what you wish for because from what i’ve heard from people regarding the guy who will become the primary owner (Chase Carey) he will be pushing very heavily to go in the entertainment direction & will have no problems at all pushing through as many gimmicks as he see’s necessary (Seems he is a fan of having 2-3 shorter races over a weekend rather than the traditional single GP).
I’ve also seen a report suggesting he wants to add as many as 25 races in order to maximize early revenue streams & make back what there spending as quickly as possible.
————————————–
To add to that, Some of the things i’m hearing are positive regarding circuit hosting fee’s been dropped & teams been treated like teams are in a lot of American sports (Franchises rather than simply competitors), However I am hearing a stuff relating to the sporting side that does concern me as I highlight above.
If the sale does indeed go through (Hearing its likely to be completed today/tomorrow & announced as early as Wednesday) I won’t be as happy or enthusiastic as I know many will be until I know that there vision for F1 doesn’t completely change the sporting side because for as great as there other plans may well be, If they throw in a load more gimmicks then F1 as a whole won’t be any better & depending on how far they do I’m not sure i’d be sticking around to watch reverse grids, multiple shorter race etc..
BasCB (@bascb)
5th September 2016, 16:57
I guess at this moment the good part in any deal is movement out of the deadlock the sport has been in for a while @GT-racer. But I certainly agree with you that it won’t mean a brighter world all of a sudden.
If new owners are more willing to think about the sport, work with the teams, tracks and the FIA etc that are involved to actually develop a wider audience to make a return on their investment, that will be a positive. But it will also be a battle for the integrity of the sport vs. the level of entertainment introduced.
I guess 25 races might work, but it certainly will need teams to be able to take on larger crews to cope with all of it. And the calendar would have to be better fine tuned to make the travel scheme work better.
Lynda.R.J.Green
5th September 2016, 19:43
@bascb @GT-racer
i think 25 races is too many, heck i think 21 this year has been too many.
not just from a team or driver perspective but also from a fans as i feel like i’ve hardly seen any of my friends or family this year due to how many weekends i’ve been watching f1. when we had 16-17 races there were plenty of weekends to spend away from racing so i never felt like i was been over-saturated with it. but now i feel overwhelmed almost & i definitely feel that the more races they have added the less interested in watching i get as we go on through the season, especially with all the back to backs.
i felt the 16-17 races per season we used to have struck the perfect balance.
Hans (@hanswes)
5th September 2016, 14:03
I am worried about this, for a couple of reasons:
-1. The buyers are not from an F1-minded country (e.g. USA)
-2. The buyer has no real affinity with racing
-3. The CEO is the typical MBA-type who Bob Lutz (of BMW M fame) warns us for: Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business https://www.amazon.com/Car-Guys-vs-Bean-Counters/dp/1591846226
Richard (@rick1984)
5th September 2016, 22:28
If i had a pound for every time bernie was getting replaced i would have…. i increasing value
1 a seat at Williams
2 got away with bribery in germany
3 own formula 1
Other entries welcome!