Today there was a new scandal in Formula 1… coming hot on the heels of the FIA-FOTA fiascos and Bernie Ecclestone’s “Hitlergate”. The new scandal is not about sex nor power, nor involving the bizarre opinions of those who do not believe in political correctness, but about that most scandalous of all things: money.
Thursday marked the opening of an amusement park and conference centre at the Nurburgring. The $360m project was originally planned to create jobs in the region and drive up tourism in the area. The government of the Rhineland Palatinate announced that the whole project would be privately funded but this never happened and so the state finance minister Ingolf Deubel decided to try an unusual private funding scheme involving companies in Luxembourg and Lichtenstein, and some American insurance companies. The scheme failed completely and there have been reports that the government even paid a large sum of money to a Dubai businessman, who was going to bring in more funding. The individual not only failed to produce the money but the money he was given has also gone missing. All in all, it was a disaster. This all came to light earlier this week and Deubel was forced to resign his post, while state premier Kurt Beck is also under pressure to quit, particularly after police raided the home of a journalist who had been revealing the unsavoury details of the scheme.
In the meantime, Melbourne’s Ron Walker has also got his name in the spotlight, suggesting that Max Mosley should stand down. Walker is a close associate of Bernie Ecclestone and – in theory at least – a member of the F1 Commission. He said that Mosley “should walk away from the sport with dignity rather than slowly strangle to death the great brand of F1. The sport needs fresh and dynamic leadership more than ever before to lead F1 into a new era of motor racing. Bernie Ecclestone is absolutely trying to be a peacemaker, but if the most successful automotive companies in the world will not agree to the rules laid down by the FIA then that will be the end of it.
Walker said that F1 needs to get its act together and it could affect the Australian GP.
“If the disunity continues Melbourne will seriously consider its position on continuing with Formula 1,” he told Melbourne’s Age newspaper. “Without Ferrari racing in Melbourne will lose much of its glamour and therefore the government investment will come into question.”
Well, finally someone is saying what everyone is thinking…
“In the meantime, Melbourne’s Ron Walker has also got his name in the spotlight…”
Ron’s comments have to be taken with an extremely large grain of salt. The single most problematic aspect of the staging of the race in Melbourne is the amount of money the Victorian state goverment pays for the rights to host the event.
“Without Ferrari racing in Melbourne will lose much of its glamour and therefore the government investment will come into question.”
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the government’s investment is already being questioned, and has been for the past few years.
Rather than meddling in FIA/FOTA politics Ron’s time would be much more productively spent securing a better deal for the race and Victorian taxpayers.
A voice of reason from Ron Walker. He’s hit the nail on the head. There’s one very simple solution to the row, and that’s for Max Mosley to go. Not at the end of his current term, but now. As long has he stays around, the FOTA teams will not, as quite rightly they do not trust the FIA whilst Max is in charge. Surely others within the FIA realise this?
You know Joe that this farce is going on and on. So, does anyone have control??? The fans should but don’t. Various surveys have shown a clear displeasure from the fans yet no real reaction from the FIA, FOTA or anyone else who cares.
I have mentioned in the past that it (the crisis) probably isn’t over and sure enough, on a day you would rather be wrong, it isn’t.
Who are these people? An old man who likes spanking young women. An old man who has made untold millions off the sport who contributed at one time but who needs a porch to sit on and sip mint juleps or perhaps tea, feels he can say anything so outrageous (Hitler got things done!!!!) that it doesn’t matter, won’t affect his checkbook, blah, blah.
It is very clear to all that Max Mosely should be eliminated from the mix. Bernie Ecclestone now longer cares about F1. Could someone not organize the fans. The only change will be forced when the banks have had enough. Sorry to say that but everyone talks about money.
So already politics has jumped into the headlines ahead of the German Grand Prix. The racing should be good. If all really goes well, the announcers will ignore Bernie, Max et al. Unfortunately, in the States it seems the race will be broadcast (albeit delayed) on Fox network (another insult) which is better than nothing.
Let’s have a new series period. Can’t anyone say what they are really going to do??
Why does the Nurburgring need an amusement park? It already has the best ride in the world, the Nordschliefe.
So Ron Walker has stated the obvious, the issue now for CVC is that the other government sponsored races Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Abu Dhabi, Valencia and Turkey would be thinking the same so there goes half the races already from F1 if this thing isn’t fixed. My guess is that F1 will continue, it is just up to the FIA if it wants to be involved.