F1 2024 Part 3

[Brazilianadventure]

Continuation thread for the last race of the season.
Part 1 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/sports/4980705-f1-2004-watchalong-thread?page=10&reply=136230297
Part 2
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/sports/5103419-f1-2024-thread-2?page=10&reply=140245180

Having Rui Marques be race director for both F1 and F2 is too much IMO. F2 was a bit messy last weekend too. They need to have just one dedicated F1 race director. It's too much pressure on one person.

If it was a clear cut penalty for Lando they should’ve given it immediately imo

Naomi Schiff said on Sky that she reckoned the delay was them checking every single driver. That could make sense (but incompetence also fully adds up atm).

FIA seeks rule changes after president allegations.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/cy89xevxp1jo

This is very very shady.

@Sulusu I have just come on to post that. Ben Sulayem is shutting everything down, doesn't bode well.

He has thoroughly investigated the issues himself, and found himself to be innocent of all allegations! No need for anyone else to look into it.

.. or something like that.

Football - whilst obviously still very corrupt - has had to do a lot of work to try and clean itself up.

If F1 truly wants to be a permier, international sport with massive viewership then it needs to do the same work. It's no good still being run a by a dodgy dictator with absolute power.

@Sulusu thank you. This is awful news for the sport and the exact opposite of what we need.

I have always respected Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of FOG ( Formula One Group). I hope this might push Liberty Media to break away from the FIA.

Liberty Media need to go

@StarCourt why? It’s a bit difficult to see them going when they own the sport. It’s like wanting the FA to leave the premier league.

Liberty own FOG and employ Domenicalli, so they are the same thing, really.
I don't think Liberty are the issue, although I'm not keen on their push for more American-ising of the sport.

The FIA and their current management are the issues. Inconsist and bizarre application of rules. Ben Sulayem runs it like a totalitarian state (I thought Max Moseley was bad!)

There is no fixing that as the FIA are motorsports governing body. No one controls them.

Yeah I think Liberty are fine, I don't agree with everything they do but the sport has certainly grown under their care and it's definitely more exciting on track than it was in the Max and Bernie days.

The FIA under the current leadership are an absolute shambles and need a serious overhaul before major long term damage is done to the reputation of the organisation as a whole.

The trouble is I’ve just read that Ben Sulayem is up for re-election in November 2025 and he is currently unopposed- 😧.

I've just watched the documentary on Brawn GP. Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone really thought they could do whatever they wanted. Sulayem is acting exactly the same way.

Abbi Pulling has been stripped of her F1 Academy title. There was supposed to be two races at Qatar, but they only ran one. So she was crowned champion as she couldn't be overtaken in the two races scheduled for this weekend. But now the race schedule has been extended to three races in Abu Dhabi. It now means technically Doriane Pin can still win.

It's likely Abbi will still be champion, as Pin needs to win all three races, but really what a shitshow!

That’s awful for Abbi, she was so happy to get the GP3 seat.

FIA presidency is a 4 year term, it is a pretty tough gig, hence why relatively few people want it. But the president can't just change structure by themselves everything has to be agreed by the world motorsports council which meets every month to consider structure etc. They get advice from lawyers, technical teams etc before changes are voted on.
Liberty is also behind some of the changes they are the rights holder of F1 and some of the changes come from pressure from them. Then within F1 a lot of changes also need to be confirmed by the Concorde agreement too.
It is not a simple as one man making all the decisions, what is said to the press is not always a true reflection of what goes on behind closed doors.
Then there is smoke, mirrors and misdirection as well.
There is a lot of strategy off the track as well as on the track,

I agree you can’t believe everything in the press but when in an interview the person admits to making the changes why would it not be true.

Another person has left, or been fired?
https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/latest-fia-departure-as-road-sport-director-andrew-wheatley-leaves-position/10679422/

Wow, Russell is going in hard on Verstappen. I personally think it's about time someone stood up to him

Jenny Gow has just posted on sm that George is coming out quite strong in the media and saying Max is a bully. Interesting.

Gloves off from both sides

George Russell says Max Verstappen 'cannot deal with adversity' after Qatar penalty row - BBC Sport

Toto calling Horner a "yapping little terrier" is my highlight.

This is a mess, and I'm tired and jaded with F1 right now. A lot of sensationalist nonsense from some parts of the press.

Here is a link to interviews with the two drivers themselves. Make your own minds up.

Thanks for the link. Personally I can believe Russell would be very clear with the Stewards about his perspective, I can also see Max is very angry and can believe he used threatening language.

I have said it before, the role of a Team Principal and Manager etc. are to help guide young drivers and I believe Horner, Marko and Jos have not provided the same guidance to a young Max as say Ron Dennis and Anthony Hamilton provided to a young Lewis. I have believed for a long time Max could and would deliberately drive another driver off track in anger - just like Schumacher almost did to Barrichello.

Love this, George’s helmet this weekend ❤️