04/26/24
June 24, 2009
FOTA and FIA put toys back in pram. : In what can only be described as an astounding upset, common sense has actually prevailed in Formula One. The eight FOTA teams will not start their own series, and Max Mosley will not stand for re-election later this year. The latter seems to be a key part of the former. Now shut up and race.
posted by Drood to auto racing at 02:55 PM - 13 comments
As a very long time fan (23 years since I became obsessed) I was actually amused by all the nonsense. Just so ridiculous. And Mosley's entire response to FOTA's concerns were immature and rude. It's fantastic he's going. The man is a sleazebag of the highest order and should never have survived the nazi whore thing last year.
posted by Drood at 03:19 PM on June 24, 2009
Oh snap! Mosley was the Nazi hooker dude! That puts all of this in an entirely different light.
How the hell did his career survive that?
posted by Joey Michaels at 04:20 PM on June 24, 2009
Mosley has promised not to stand for re-election once before of course.
It was that time just before he stood for re-election.
Any punts on Mosley's successor? Jean Todt seems to be just the unbiased hand on the tiller we need to neuter accusations of a Ferrari bias at the FIA.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 04:46 PM on June 24, 2009
I will believe Mosley is gone when he is gone. His word has long since had no value.
This is probably the best possible outcome, although I have to say I'm a little sad that the possibility of deep changes to the sport's political structure are no longer possible. I'm particularly sad that bringing back classic tracks won't happen. Instead we'll have more neutered Tilke tracks in Wherethefuckistan (although I have to admit I love the new nighttime street course in Singapore).
posted by dusted at 06:09 PM on June 24, 2009
Joey: Well, in the end, it came out that the whole thing was a sting set up by News of the World, who ended up having to pay some fat settlements.
Besides, in F1, I seriously too many of the major figures are in a position to throw rocks...
But Mosely gone can't be a bad thing. Next step, reigning in Ecclestone.
posted by rodgerd at 06:18 PM on June 24, 2009
Good news overall. The words "common sense" and "Formula One" usually aren't found in the same sentence.....
posted by eccsport78 at 07:52 PM on June 24, 2009
Mosley said he stayed last time due to the rest of the FIA begging him. I swear the man should be in REAL politics he's such a suave bastard.
rodger: News of the World got stung for invasion of privacy etc... At no point were they found guilty of making anything up if I recall. And I should know. I've seen the video. (No amount of mind bleach has worked to remove the visuals.)
And Ecclestone will be dead soon anyway. I mean he's in his late 70's. The worrying thing is there is no clear line of succession, given he never owned the rights to the sport in the first place (Seriously. He doesn't. He just sort of claimed them.) it's going to leave a power vacuum.
Todt being in charge of the FIA would be a bad idea due to the Ferrari ties, but I can't think of anyone else. Michael Schumacher could be an interesting choice. Despite my hatred of the man, I think he'd be a reasonable choice believe it or not as he's a racer at heart, and a Ferrari tool second.
posted by Drood at 09:08 PM on June 24, 2009
I swear the man should be in REAL politics he's such a suave bastard.
Yes, I can imagine him in the Conservative Party. Pushing that old 'back to basics' and 'hanging's too good for 'em' line.
Then shortly afterwards be found dead in a Soho flat, naked, trussed up and with an orange between his teeth.
I believe that's pretty much party policy.
posted by owlhouse at 03:13 AM on June 25, 2009
And lo and behold todays news...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76529
Max is reconsidering his future.
posted by Drood at 05:03 PM on June 25, 2009
Bernie makes half a billion a year out of F1 TV rights alone. Half a billion[1].
People have had accidents for much less money. Just sayin'.
[1] Well, OK, Bernie and his partners.
posted by rodgerd at 06:51 AM on June 26, 2009
Drood, that didn't take long, did it? This is the kind of crap that makes me think FOTA might have been better off making the leap. It just keeps going...
posted by dusted at 02:24 PM on June 26, 2009
FOTA should have kept their damn mouths shut and waited for him to step down. (Assuming he ever actually would.) You look into Max's history (how he beat Balestre etc...) and the man is a political genius.
FOTA should get nasty and say "Look, you leaving was part of the deal". I don't know. Max is a very clever man and I don't think this is over yet.
rodger: And the great thing is he doesn't actually "own" anything. Back in the early 80's Bernie just sort of assumed the role and everyone let him. Patrick Head once said something along the lines of "Bernie has no rights to F1 and yet we've given them to him. Twice."
What's irritating is all this is distracting from a fascinating championship. The dream championship of Brawn, with it possibly now actually turning into a fight. You've got Vettel and Button dominating, and you know damn well their teammates are going to have them at some point.
Still finding it hard to care about the political stuff. After Le Mans, a good PURE race, going back to all this nonsense is hard to stomach.
posted by Drood at 03:47 PM on June 26, 2009
This is great news for everyone involved.