In the round-up: The FIA’s role in the sale of Formula One to Liberty Media is being investigated in France.
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French Investigator Seeks Information About Formula One Sale (The New York Times)
"Damian Collins, the British lawmaker who made the initial complaint to investigators in London, where Formula One is based, said he had closely examined the Concorde Agreement and could find 'no logical explanation' for the deal agreed with the federation."
Red Bull make early start on 2018 car development (Sky)
"We always feel like we start on the next year's car early enough but maybe what we think is early isn't early enough. I know for next year it has been brought forward more than it was for this year."
'Bigger, broader, better': Chase Carey on F1 in the US (ESPN)
"You can see one of the more promising kernels you get - although I wouldn't make broad conclusions out of it - is that as we do more in the digital world the amount of engagement we have in the US is very encouraging. It tells you that there is an interest there to tap into."
Renault not afraid of losing to McLaren in '18 (Autosport)
"We need to think strategy, we need to think tactics, and it is no secret that accepting to support that musical chairs on engines has created more options - including the option on Carlos Sainz, which would not have been available otherwise."
Button: I saw red when drunk Sir Richard Branson touched my girlfriend's face (The Telegraph)
"'Look, I think you better leave,' warned my manager Richard, 'or you’re going to get chinned when Jenson gets back.'"
Honda partnership 'a release' for Toro Rosso (Motorsport)
"It's a huge challenge, and it's also a huge responsibility to that company as well. It's nice to have a partner rather than a supplier."
Ecclestone up sticks to new Swiss abode (The Straits Times)
"A Formula One spokesman said that was not the case. 'Bernie is always welcome at any Grand Prix he'd like to attend,' he said, although limited office space at some tracks meant prior notice was preferred."
"The forensic study of the car’s once groundbreaking (and now highly antiquated) mechanics kicks in... and non-petrolheads will doze off."
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Comment of the day
How much faster will the cars be at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend?
I expect the lap time improvement on last season to be similar to what it was in both Sepang and Suzuka (something from 2.7 to 3.3 seconds as COTA to some extent shares similar characteristics to the two above mentioned.)
Jere (@Jerejj)
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TigerNuts
19th October 2017, 0:34
I’m not sure that I understand completely, but the FIA helping to facilitate the sale of F1 so that they can sell their stock doesn’t seem to be overly under-handed. What am I missing? Is there the implication that they tried to force the sale, instead of just helping it along? Or is it just a matter of lawyers getting huffy because it didn’t follow the exact letter of the law? Any ideas?
Sundar Srinivas Harish
19th October 2017, 13:42
This chap doesn’t seem to have an issue with the sale of F1, but the issue of a 1% shareholding to the FIA at a throwaway price along with a $5 mil. cash payout during the Concorde Agreement over and above the increased payments for acting as a regulatory authority. It is the British and French investigators who have, according to the article, red-flagged the sale. I think some clarity is required as to whether the sale is being investigated, or the Concorde Agreement.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
19th October 2017, 15:58
Let me rephrase the article:
The federation needed the increased payments from Formula One and had initially wanted a cash payment for its agreement to sign the contract, but Formula One’s management offered the discounted share.
Damian Collins said he had closely examined and could find “no logical explanation” for the deal agreed with the federation.
Since it worth about $80 million and it create the risk of a conflict given the federation had the final say on clearing any potential sale, therefore the Prosecutors following this issue very closely and reviewing materials pursuant to allegations of bribery and corruption.
TigerNuts
19th October 2017, 16:23
Ahhh, okay, I think I see. Thanks a lot for the clarification. Much appreciated :)
Stig Semper Fi (@stigsemperfi)
19th October 2017, 3:35
Re COTD, the original goal of the 2017 cars was to be approx. 5 seconds up on the 2015 cars, not the 2016 cars, right?
BasCB (@bascb)
19th October 2017, 6:48
Indeed it was @stigsemperfi.
Jere (@jerejj)
19th October 2017, 10:14
@stigsemperfi I didn’t state anything about 5 seconds in my comment.
Stig Semper Fi (@stigsemperfi)
19th October 2017, 10:20
I know but people were originally wondering why these cars weren’t as big a step up from last year as they were expecting, but the original goal was for the cars to be 5 seconds a lap quicker than the 2015 cars.
TurboBT
19th October 2017, 11:42
Yes, but 5s in Barcelona and it was achieved. You can’t be 5s faster everywhere, it depends on the track. The point is, the current cars are bloody fast and they are smashing the records, so enjoy it.
The championship is more interesting than previous years, that’s the most important. We have now almost 3 teams eyeing pole positions and wins. That never happened since 2014.
Ferrari was the team everyone wanted to win races again, and it is happening. RBR coming to the mix is just a good bonus for us. No one expected other teams beating mercedes this year or until V6 era ends, so I am just glad that I am enjoying the races unlike some others.
BasCB (@bascb)
19th October 2017, 7:18
The investigation into the FIA and it’s stake is pretty much what most people who understand these kind of things warned about with the FIA getting an interest in the commercial running and how it violates their agreement with the EU about seperation between commercial and regulatory parts of the sport.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
19th October 2017, 8:26
Yes. But how could any commercial body could deliver the right kind of entertainment for its consumer if they couldn’t tweak the sport regulation? It got to be some compromise along the way.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
19th October 2017, 12:52
@ruliemaulana That the FIA and Liberty have talks about what’s best for F1 is normal and desirable. The problem lies in the stake the FIA had, meaning that there is a potential conflict of interest. One can’t be judge and judged.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
21st October 2017, 0:44
Perhaps this particular governing body should have thought about that before certain actions in the mid-1990s against the International Truck Racing series and its choice not to have Bernie handle their commercial matters. This was perceived as abuse of a monopolistic position by the chosen media suppliers, a commercial case started and the result was a settlement requiring separation of governance and commercial powers in the case of motorsport. As such, the FIA and Liberty/FOM have a binding agreement not to interfere directly in each other’s domains, and since they agreed to it, they’re not really in a position to protest its enforcement.
Jere (@jerejj)
19th October 2017, 7:29
I honestly didn’t expect to get COTD, LOL. This is the first time that something I’ve posted has been chosen for any round-up.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
19th October 2017, 7:47
Ross Brawn didn’t have anything nice to say about Branson either in his book, there’s a good anecdote about a telephone conference where Branson didn’t realise Ross was on the line when trying to usurp him into buying the Honda team.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
19th October 2017, 8:18
It’s a weird thing to think Renault really is the most honest team. They didn’t burn oil and it looks like they provide exactly the same PU and delivered new upgrade at the same time to its customer.
And it hard to believe Jenson article. Not every man in power do that. Only movie producer.
Albion (@albzejn)
19th October 2017, 10:15
I think If Flavio Briatore was still in charge of Renault their engine would have been in pair with Mercedes and Ferrari, if not ahead. F1 its not a sport who has to do with honesty too much, you always should look for a loophole to be the best
frood19 (@frood19)
19th October 2017, 9:27
i think we can do without these links to jenson button’s book extracts. i know, i know, i keep clicking on them when i really shouldn’t – it’s like driving past a car accident – so it is my fault that it’s annoying me. but, my god, it is awful. it’s like it was written by a 13-year old and not a talented one at that. please, please please @keithcollantine don’t review it!
bosyber (@bosyber)
19th October 2017, 9:45
I agree with a lot of what you are saying, I think @frood19, that’s why I also decided not to join discussion on what Button wrote (or did he) about Hamilton, Briatore (who wants to hear about him?!) etc. – but as you say, it still is news in F1, and potentially says something about F1 people, and (in the Branson article) that quote is relevant to things happening in broader context in world with respect to woman in “men’s” worlds.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
19th October 2017, 11:12
Good, bad or indifferent it’s the autobiography of a popular world champ and should be reviewed. I quite like the insights myself, even if a bit tacky.
tonyyeb (@tonyyeb)
19th October 2017, 9:41
JB having a go at a drunken attention seeking rich party boy? “Hello, kettle? This is the pot….”
Martijn (@)
19th October 2017, 9:52
What’s up with Jenson? Is he missing attention?
Egonovi
19th October 2017, 11:01
I like the book review section on this site.
Not sure why we now suddenly need to get all the JB promotion snippets in the round-up.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
19th October 2017, 11:51
It’s the mainstream media who are quoting Jense, Keith is just rounding those up.
nase
19th October 2017, 12:03
@mayrton
He’s promoting his book. Hopping from interview to interview to be in the news. I honestly couldn’t care less about past locations of Sir Richard’s greasy fingers, not to mention Mr. Button’s synaesthetic perception of the appropriateness of said locations.
But in the bigger scheme of things, a former world champion promoting his biography is somewhat relevant.
mfreire
19th October 2017, 19:43
If F1 can have a race in Las Vegas I hope it is held on a Saturday night at 11 pm or somewhere around that time. That means British and continential viewers in Europe would have to wake up early at 7 or 8 am but the spectacle of cars racing around LV at night is so much better than having them race around there during the day. Las Vegas looks like a graveyard during the day; it only really comes alive at night. And maybe the race could be paired with Mexico and the Austin GP could be in March as the first race of the season.