Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone attempted to qualify for a single World Championship event. He was in a Connaught-Alta, one of a fleet of three entered by himself. He finished qualifying 265.2 seconds off the pace, and his two team-mates failed to qualify as well.

He is, however, the most important single person in Grand Prix history. He took charge of Motor Racing Developments in 1972, from Ron Tauranac. He was the team principal for Nelson Piquet's two drivers' titles, but he'd lost interest by the time Brabham missed the deadline to enter the 1988 World Championship.

Into the governance of the sport he went, and he modernised it, and quickly controlled Formula One. He is now the leader of a billion-dollar industry. He is a divisive figure, but he's not done badly for someone who was four minutes off the pace on a Saturday in Monaco.

 

[Titch]

Tenby is quite nice FB, I wouldn't know about Bognor though, I've never been.


I'll be honest, I was never going to Brazil anyway.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Have you ever been to Bogney FB?

Now for more useless info. It is reputed that the last words which George V spoke were: "Bugger Bognor".

 

[FB]

I've heard that story as well Bill Boddy. They wanted to send him there to recuperate from what ever was wrong with him and the idea didn't appeal much.

Back to poor old Bernie, his helicopter pilot has been arrested over the kidnap of his mother-in-law: Ecclestone's helicopter pilot arrested over kidnapping - BBC News

 

[Titch]

He obviously didn't think he was paid enough.

Edit : He obviously thought that he wasn't paid enough.

That's better.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Bernie Ecclestone: Formula 1 boss says 'to stay for three more years' after takeover

 

[Titch]

And the band played believe it if you like.

 

[vintly]

I wrote a few (bad) limericks about F1 personnel a while ago, but the Bernie one, if I say so myself, isn't bad:

There was a supremo called Bernie,
Who's had an incredible journey.
He bends all the rules,
And won't suffer fools,
Oh shit, here comes his attorney!

 

[teabagyokel]

There was a man; very rich.
His morals belonged in the ditch.
He made all the deals,
For cars on four wheels,
And Formula One was his bitch.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Mr Ecclestone had to be kept on because he never puts anything down on paper. There are now three years for the new owners to somehow drag all this information out of him; I don't envy them.

 

[Titch]

I expect he bribed someone into letting him stay.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Only if it could be tried in Germany.

 

[Titch]

Bernie is an idiot, I've said it before, but it's worth saying again.

He now thinks the sport would benefit from more crashes !!!!!!

You couldn't make it up.

 

[vintly]

Ecclestone keen to add to the risk factor

He is a nutter there's no getting away from it. But, I wholeheartedly agree with this line from the piece:

" However, he suggested races were now in danger of appearing too safe, with drivers exceeding track limits without suffering any consequences."

 

[Bill Boddy]

There are a number of measures that could be taken to ensure that going out of track limits should generate a penalty but walls should not be one of them.

I thought that the idea of not exceeding track limits had been dropped anyway; or were they just totally abandoned for the US GP since it seemed that every driver exceeded them in multiple places every lap.

 

[vintly]

What about the issue of races appearing too safe, or even being too safe, what do we think? Do they appear too safe? Is that even relevant?

No doubt we all agree that safety measures to reduce the likelihood of death or serious injury of fans, marshals and drivers are welcome and necessary. But has the spectacle suffered through not being dangerous enough?

I think I'm in a minority that would welcome more a few more dangerous corners to be introduced to existing tracks.

 

[Bill Boddy]

I would agree to more difficult corners but just what do you mean by dangerous? Corners with large drops at the side with no barriers or corners where any error finishes up with the car rolling over?

 

[The Pits]

Being honest, I can understand what he is saying, the headline does not fully link with the content, surprise surprise.

from the sound of things he wants to add to the risk factor, without increasing the danger, using the example of street circuits (although I cant remember the last great race at Monaco)

The last GP was a great example. the track need not have been there for most of the corners, simply an apron of tarmac to be traversed however each driver desired, with no consequence. stick a wall in the way, then every lap you have an added risk that someone will hit it, and be out, similar to gravel traps.

I do not think for a minute that he was suggesting increasing the danger, or risk of injury, but I do believe that there is a desire to increase the level of risk vs rewards, and consequence, as things do seem to be a little bit sterile at the moment, with very few of the moments like JV around the outside at parabolica etc.

There is nothing quite like watching a race where there are moves that you can only watch through nearly closed eyes and with breath held. People will recall Alonso going round Schumacher at 130r, Kamui K at Japan (amongst others) Alonso and Vettel at Iola, JB at Brazil in 09 and Lewis at Germany 08. Lots of moments where the race could have been over with a wheel in the wrong place, those are the things that make motorsport worth watching, and make people tune in again and again, not watching someone run wide, and overtake whilst in a different state to the actual race.

 

[RasputinLives]

Bernie is not an idiot. Bernie is smarter than most of us. Bernie plays the idiot publicly but usually times his idiocy exactly right to get F1 publicity, talked about in the press, or distract away from something he doesn't want talked in the press.

Here is a man who paid a million pounds to the UK government for cigarette advertising to not be banned. Shortly after it was 'leaked' to the press and so the government gave him his million pound back. therefore he got what he wanted for nothing. He is a very clever button pusher.

 

[vintly]

I would agree to more difficult corners but just what do you mean by dangerous? Corners with large drops at the side with no barriers or corners where any error finishes up with the car rolling over?

I'm not sure exactly, but no of course not anything that would seriously endanger the drivers. Random oil sprinklers? No. But yes to endangering them a little bit more than they are now, possibly by means of some added bumps through some quick corners, or some re-engineered corners to create some hairy off-camber loading to unsettle the driver.

And another thing! The brakes are too good. Revert to lower-tech brakes which are safe as houses but don't stop the car so quickly. This will increase the braking zones, making for more overtaking opportunities without the need for DRS.

 

[Bill Boddy]

....The brakes are too good. Revert to lower-tech brakes which are safe as houses but don't stop the car so quickly. This will increase the braking zones, making for more overtaking opportunities without the need for DRS.

We are in agreement here and probably basically on the rest of your post after reading it again.