Red Bull have threatened to quit F1 over Mercedes dominance
When you add in the demise of the German Grand Prix – Ecclestone said he could not even confirm next year’s event, or the future of the Italian race at Monza – it is hard to feel upbeat.
The doom and gloom has prompted the resurgence of F1’s scattergun approach to rulemaking. Ecclestone met the team principals on Friday in Sepang to see if they were receptive to his latest suggestions, but tinkering here and there seems to have gone out of the window. Ecclestone is demanding the teams think bigger than simply ‘equalising’ the field by punishing Mercedes; a proposal he supported last week but now appears to have disowned.
“The trouble is we’ve got an old house and we keep repairing it,” the 84-year-old said. “It’s not really the way to go. We just need to do a lot better.”
It is clear that very little is off the table. So far this year the most prominent rule change has been a ban on changing helmet design, something Hamilton took to social media to criticise, having hoped to sport a special lid for Mercedes’ Malaysian title sponsor. While Ecclestone continues with his favourite bugbear, the hybrid engines, he spoke of far more radical plans.
I had a special helmet made to celebrate Petronas Malaysia. Due to the FIA’s new rule, I can’t wear it. #Petronas pic.twitter.com/w5ZUQjyYO3
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton)
March 27, 2015
He wants points to be on offer in qualifying, mixing up the grid so the fastest drivers are near the back and have to fight their way through the field. Double points for the last three rounds would come in. At least one race a year would be a designated wet race – with the use of sprinklers – while another five or so would boast some special feature.
But do not be fooled into thinking these ideas will form the basis of some detailed proposal. It is the randomness of it all that is astonishing.
In years gone by, with Max Mosley at the FIA, Ecclestone had an ally who was able to translate his vision into rules, keeping the teams in line. As Ecclestone concedes, the competitors wield far too much power now. Lucrative contracts have been signed until 2020, and as much as Ecclestone would like to start again, they cannot be torn up.
F1’s supremo went on: “If somebody goes into hospital, and they’re sick, a surgeon might say they’ve got to have their arm cut off, they do it, and that’s it. They don’t have a meeting about it.
“Jean Todt [FIA president], he wants everyone to be happy. Max [Mosley] didn’t care, and I didn’t care, as long as we got the job done. It’s completely wrong the teams being involved in making the rules.”
There will no longer be a German Grand Prix
The blundering nature of F1 in recent weeks prompted many in Australia to conclude that perhaps Ecclestone is no longer able to marshal the sport’s many stakeholders into line. With endless committee meetings, lawyers, and so on, modern sport is moving away from the dictatorial model Ecclestone has always preferred.
As ever, he coolly brushes off the idea of someone supplying a helping hand.
“I’m quite sure I’m not a good teacher. It’s like Sinatra is going to retire, and we need somebody to sing alongside Sinatra. When I’m gone, whoever does what I’m doing, will probably do it in a completely different way, and might have a few people helping them. So you’ll have to wait until I get fired or die – and then we’ll see.”
Whether or not this latest round of innovations will see the light of day remains unclear. But at least the sport is beginning to think big. With Red Bull and others increasingly rebellious, with little sign of more global brands joining the fray, time is of the essence.
An exciting race on Sunday would be a good start to brighten the mood.