An F1 World without Bernie

cider_and_toast

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We've touched on this subject a couple of times but something dawned on me the other day when I was reading an interview with Martin Brundle on his reasons for moving to Sky. One of the things he said as he wrestled (yeah right !!) with the thought of leaving dear Auntie and taking King Ruperts Shilling, was that he went and spoke to Bernie to seek his advice. (Get thee to Sky said Bernie!!).

Now what occured to me is that in this world there are any number of buisness types more than capable of running a sporting franchise who have all the skills to thrash out deals for hard dollers on board room tables the world over. The problem that F1 faces when Bernie goes is that none of these people will have as much control on the day to day running of the sport as Bernie has. It's the loss of this that could be one of the most devistating factors in an F1 world post Bernie.

Since Max moved on, there are new guys at the helm of the sport, the teams are together, then apart, then together again, with CVC still looking to recover their billions and with track owners growing ever louder at the costs of hosting events, in any post Bernie F1 is it possible for a single person to hold all of these factors together?

It's clear in recent years that while it's still Bernie's game, the teams themselves have been getting braver in their attitude towards their dealings with BE, it's only the fact that he excels at the divide and rule style of managment that so often these attempts to beat Bernie at his own game fail. You only have to look at how in the latest version of the concorde agreement the deal has moved away from one that singles out Ferrari's historical importance and towards rewarding Mclaren and Red Bull as well. This seems to have marginalised Mercedes who have so far refused to sign.

So, how will F1 shape up and cope in a world without Bernie? I can see a time of in-fighting and threats from all remaining parties that could see a split in the sport for real this time as opposed to one that's constantly been threatend. Over 30 years is one hell of a long time to be at the top of the heap and the black hole in Bernie's wake is huge and could consume the sport.
 
I think (or at least hope) that it will prove easier for circuit owners/race organizers to make a profit without the outrageous fees that Bernie extracts and is continually raising. It might also portend a return to more historic venues rather than going to less desirable (at least to me) venues, some with repressive regimes, in the never-ending search for more money to flow into one man's bank account.

If it results in fewer races per season, I, for one, would consider that a bonus, as I feel the current calendar is too long.
 
It's an intesting one CaT; implosion perhaps but unlikely as so much money's at stake, a massive scrap for control ultimately resulting in a Ferrari biased circus possibly, CVC appoint an interim head until they and the sport agree to the best way forward most likely. But the right person for the job? I have no idea.
 
I think (or at least hope) that it will prove easier for circuit owners/race organizers to make a profit without the outrageous fees that Bernie extracts and is continually raising. It might also portend a return to more historic venues rather than going to less desirable (at least to me) venues, some with repressive regimes, in the never-ending search for more money to flow into one man's bank account.

If it results in fewer races per season, I, for one, would consider that a bonus, as I feel the current calendar is too long.

Although I like yourself prefer the more historic venues there is a reason Bernie is seeking out these new countries and new tracks. Money. F1 is a money business and without it coming in the sport would very quickly decline and I'm afraid these 'historic' venues just wouldn't be able to attract the money in anymore. Yes Bernie has dam well made sure he lines his own pockets with it all but how much has him relocating Grand Prixs and capatilizing on a countries interest in the sport help the teams along?

How many teams have been propped up with Indian sponsorship of late?(mainly Tata) Do you think that would have happened without the promise of an Indian Grand Prix? Do you think Force India would exist without that too? Tony Fernandez and Malaysia? Bahrain and Abu Dhabi Grand Prixs have brought in investors he prop some of the bigger teams up too. Even in Europe Bernie has explotied the success of one Spanish driver to turn Spain into and F1 fanatic country with 2 Grand Prixs, its own team and a bank who are Ferrari's main sponsor! You tell people that near the end of the 90's and you'd have been laughed at.

His plans for the future seem to make sense too. A Russian Grand Prix? Making sure their is a Russian driver on the grid? The country is loaded with cash and its bound to bring some of it F1's way by bringing the sport there. Once again Bernie is attempting to crack the American market now that their single seater racing has fallen down and he's even got 2 circuits playing off each other. We suddenly have a front running Mexican driver with the possibility of another on the way in from GP2 and they are investing heavily in the Sauber team and of course we hear Bernie making moves to get a Mexican GP running because he see's the market there. The same with the South American countries.

Bernie lines his own pockets first and foremost but in every move he makes it keeps F1 afloat and untouched as the pinnicable of the sport. To be able to come through an international economic downturn like that is quite remarkable. I don't neccesarily like the guy but his business sense is impeckable. I remember hearing him talk about Dancia Patrick coming over to F1 and I could see him salivating at the mouth at the prospect of all those new sponsors and deals he could make with companies usually beyond his reach who could be tempted in by a good looking succesful female F1 driver. Its why I laugh at the idea of the sport being 'against' Lewis Hamilton - can you imagine how much money and how many deals Bernie was able to make after his introduction into F1 - who do you think was behind the tabloid newspaper stories?

Maybe I don't like the guy but I fear for the sport when he's gone. Hopefully like all good Sith Lords he's got an apprentice trained up though.
 
I could see him salivating at the mouth at the prospect of all those new sponsors and deals he could make with companies usually beyond his reach who could be tempted in by a good looking succesful female F1 driver.
The only problem is that, while she's certainly an attractive girl, IMO she wouldn't be successful in F1 as she's not strong off ovals. Also, she struggles to take ownership of her own mistakes and that has often made her the butt of jokes on this side of the pond, if she behaved in the same way in F1 there would be a global audience scratching their heads. Personally I'm ambivalent towards her, she's certainly not BAD, but its questionable if she's genuinely GOOD, especially on the types of circuit we have in F1.
 
If CVC were not taking so much money from F1 charges to the circuits could be reduced putting them into a stable financial position. This would allow circuits to reduce entry fees for fans as well.

If CVC were not taking so much money from F1, whoever else owned it would take just as much, if not more. The only solution I can see to huge amounts of money being creamed off the top (and taken out of motorsport completely) is for the participants to hold the majority share. There might be more certainty over the future and more long-term planning then, too.

Never gonna happen, of course.
 
Just thinking about this

Since SKY have got the TV rights for live F1 it puts Rupert Murdoch in a powerful position and basically make serious money for himself and do what SKY have done for the premier league make the big teams richer and the small teams poorer because at the end of the day its the slice of the TV money that the teams want

I am not sure if there is anyone out there who is powerful enough to stop Murdoch to allow the money to go more to the teams which therefore takes away power from FOM and FIA more

Now Carlos Slim who backs Perez is supposedly the richest man in the world right now so I am not sure if he wants to have his say further

Are there any rich oil baron billionaires or trillionaires who would want to dabble... from the middle East or Russia or even China

I'd be amazed if Bernie is still running F1 when he is 100 years old ...the man would run it even if he was in a zimmer frame !
 
Since SKY have got the TV rights for live F1 it puts Rupert Murdoch in a powerful position and basically make serious money for himself and do what SKY have done for the premier league make the big teams richer and the small teams poorer because at the end of the day its the slice of the TV money that the teams want

To be fair to the Premier League, they haven't made the big clubs as rich as they would have been in La Liga or Serie A. Probably inadvertently, though!
 
To be fair to the Premier League, they haven't made the big clubs as rich as they would have been in La Liga or Serie A. Probably inadvertently, though!

Manchester United are the team that have benefited the most from the premier league formation and they get more money because they are inadvertently shown more times on TV

The top 4 teams are getting richer whilst the teams at the end are getting poorer or not as rich and always end up with money problems when relegated

so don't be surprised if after this concorde agreement the next one the teams suddenly get a bigger slice of the tv money
 
Manchester United are the team that have benefited the most from the premier league formation and they get more money because they are inadvertently shown more times on TV

I'm not saying the top teams don't get richer, good gracious no! The Premier League currently negotiates its own TV deals though, which hasn't always been the case abroad.

so don't be surprised if after this concorde agreement the next one the teams suddenly get a bigger slice of the tv money

And I would be amazed if Ferrari don't get the most...
 
And I would be amazed if Ferrari don't get the most...

Yet I would not put money on McLaren getting the 2nd largest amount of money, it seems Red Bull have maneuvered themselves into the position of the 2nd favourite son. I see Williams recieving less than Mercedes too when they finally do reach an agreement...
 
Yet I would not put money on McLaren getting the 2nd largest amount of money, it seems Red Bull have maneuvered themselves into the position of the 2nd favourite son. I see Williams recieving less than Mercedes too when they finally do reach an agreement...

I dunno about that. Bernie seems to have turned his nose up at the Merc team. Maybe its after his recent troubles in Germany.
 
I dunno about that. Bernie seems to have turned his nose up at the Merc team. Maybe its after his recent troubles in Germany.

Mercedes have in the past tried to form the GPWC for not getting enough money or more say about F1 and angering Bernie

Mercedes may feel they can throw their weight around more now as a team and supplying more engines to the field
 
Hopefully, one thing the passing from the scene by Bernie will bring is the end of the Tilke monoploy on circuit design. I have always wondered what connection there is between those two. It is way past time that other people were allowed to bring their visions to fruition.
 
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