Nice one Bernie… This is so obviously a stupid move. Read more from TimesOnline.co.uk:
Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One chief, said yesterday that he preferred totalitarian regimes to democracies and praised Adolf Hitler for his ability to “get things done”.
In an outspoken interview with The Times, the 78-year-old billionaire chastised contemporary politicians for their weakness and extolled the virtues of strong leadership.
Mr Ecclestone said: “In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people, able to get things done.
“In the end he got lost, so he wasn’t a very good dictator because either he had all these things and knew what was going on and insisted, or he just went along with it . . . so either way he wasn’t a dictator.” He also rounded on democracy, claiming that “it hasn’t done a lot of good for many countries — including this one [Britain]”.
Nobody is immune. F1, the most luxurious of sports, is cutting costs… from Telegraph.co.uk:
There will be savings on engine costs, a ban on in-season testing outside grand prix weekends and a reduction in staff numbers that will mean bad news for many skilled workers in Britain’s south Midlands, the worldwide centre of motor sport.
Engines will be available to the independent teams from 2010 for less than £4.5 million per team per season, supplied by an independent supplier or a manufacturer backed by guarantees of continuity.
This could mean huge savings for teams such as Williams and Force India, who currently buy their engines from Toyota and Ferrari respectively.
There will be no in-season testing from next year except during a race weekend and during scheduled practice, which could mean extra action for weekend racegoers.
The teams have also agreed that manpower will be reduced by means of a number of measures, including sharing information on tyres and fuel to eliminate the need for “spotters” who scan the activities of other teams for tactical clues.
The FIA estimate that the list of changes for 2009 will save the manufacturer teams approximately 30 per cent of their budgets compared to 2008, with the savings for independent teams even greater.
But this is still a lot less than the drastic cuts that FIA boss Max Mosley wants to see.
The proposals for change are as follows:
From 2009:
* Engine life to be doubled. Each driver will use a maximum of eight engines for a season, plus four for testing (i.e 20 per team).
* Engines to be limited to 18,000rpm.
* Cost of engines to independent teams will be approximately 50 per cent of 2008 prices.
* No wind tunnel testing using models exceeding 60 per cent scale and speeds of 50 metres/sec to be used after 1 January 2009.
* Factory closures for six weeks per year, to accord with local laws.
From 2010:
* The engine from 2010 will continue to be used in 2011 and 2012 (thus no new engine for 2011).
* Subject to confirmation of practicability, the same transmission will be used by all teams.
* The FIA are to compose a standard parts list relating to the chassis. Some parts will be allowed development, other will be required to use inexpensive materials.
* For a race weekend there will be standardised radio and telemetry systems, a ban on tyre warmers, mechanical purging of tyres, and most crucially, a ban on refuelling.
* There will also be a possible reduction in race distance or duration (with a proposal to follow from market research).
* With regards to factory activity there will be further restrictions on aerodynamic research, combined with a full analysis of factory facilities with a view to proposing further restrictions on such facilities.
In the longer term, the FIA and FOTA are to study the possibility of an entirely new power train for 2013 based on energy efficiency.
The rules will be framed to ensure that research and development of such a power train would make a real contribution to energy-efficient road transport.
The FIA believe an enhanced Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) system is likely to be a very significant element of an energy-efficient power train in the future.
In the short term, KERS is part of the 2009 regulations, but is not compulsory, however, from 2010 FOTA is considering proposals for a standard KERS system.
With regard to F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s medal system, market research will be conducted, also into a possible change to qualifying.
The Economy strikes again… from MarketWatch.com:
Speaking at a press conference Friday afternoon, an emotionally-wrought Honda President Takeo Fukui described the slowdown in global auto sales as “beyond imagination”, and said mounting business difficulties in November prompted his decision to exit global racing.
“Honda must protect its core business activities and secure the long term as widespread uncertainties in the economies around the globe continue to mount,” Fukui said in a statement published on Honda’s global Website. “A recovery is expected to take some time.”Fukui added that Honda’s exit from F1 had been a “difficult decision” that had arisen in the wake of the global credit crisis and “the quickly deteriorating operating environment facing the global auto industry.”
Fukui said the company would consult with suppliers to Honda Racing F1 Team and Honda Racing Development, with a view to selling the racing franchise.
Honda spends about 50 billion yen ($542 million) a year to maintain the racing team, the Nikkei newspaper reported.Honda shares ended 1.9% lower at 1,653 yen in Tokyo trading Friday.
Honda withdrew from Formula One in 1993 and returned in 2000 in participation with British American Racing, in a team anchored by Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve.
Honda later bought out BAR, transforming it into a wholly-owned team for the 2006 season.
Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry said he was confident the team would find a new owner.
“In the last 12 hours we’ve had three serious people come and suggest they’d like to buy the team,” Fry told U.K broadcasters, BBC.Honda’s F1 efforts yielded a mere 14 points in this year’s season, finishing ninth among the 10 teams ranked in the constructors’ table. Honda drivers also failed to impress, as Brazilian Rubens Barrichello finished 14th while British co-driver Jensen Button finished 18th among a field of 22.
Underscoring its difficulties in the current environment, Honda slashed its full-year earnings forecast in October by 19% to 485 billion yen for the fiscal year ending March 31. On Tuesday Honda said its U.S. sales fell 32% in November from the same month a year earlier.
Honda’s exit from the racing series, comes one year after it recruited Ross Brawn to head up development. In his previous role with Ferrari as technical director, Brawn was considered key to Michael Schumacher’s run of five championship titles, according to the F1 Website.Toyota Motor Corp., which finished fifth in the constructors’ table and whose two drivers rounded out the top ten, reportedly said it has no plans to withdraw from F1.
Felipe Massa was declared the winner of Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix after Lewis Hamilton was penalized for cutting a corner during a late duel with world champion Kimi Raikkonen.
Hamilton crossed the line 14.4 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Massa in a dramatic finish that saw Raikkonen crash into a barrier, but the McLaren driver was penalized 25 seconds for his illegal maneuver.
Read more and see the final laps here:
Yesterday the sporting world was shocked to hear about McLaren being stripped of all of its Constructors Championship points. While that hurts the car racing team’s pride and ensures it won’t win the 2007 Team award, the massive $100M fine its parent will absorp is a stinging hit.
While McLaren boss Ron Dennis maintains that his job is safe, we wonder, how long before the powers that be cast the blame squarely on his shoulders and show him the door?
Read more.
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