Post by Macmoish on Sept 23, 2010 8:17:29 GMT
Flavio Briatore!
Formula One - On and Off track week 38
Racing series COMMENTARY F1 Date 2010-09-22
By Berthold Bouman - Motorsport.com
Briatore makes the impossible possible
Ousted ex-Renault team principal Flavio Briatore was again seen in the paddock and on the start grid of a Formula One event, this time during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Many fans are wondering how on earth Briatore can walk freely around the Formula One paddock from which he was banned for life, visibly enjoying the media attention he unfortunately always attracts, while pretending nothing has ever happened. The answer is simple, his good old friend and business partner and FOM boss Bernie Ecclestone helped him acquiring a VIP pass, the same pass given to people like Dario Franchitti, Eric Clapton, Hugh Grant, the members of the rock bands Kasabian and the Stereophonics, and other real VIP's and celebrities who visited the Italian Grand Prix. Ecclestone reckons that celebrities who visit a Grand Prix will benefit the image of the sport, but if the name of the celebrity is Briatore, he should think again.
Although Briatore has won his appeal against the decision of the FIA WMSC and his life-time ban was overturned, the fact remains that after the appeal the FIA decided to ban Briatore until the end of 2012, but this ban doesn't seem to have any real meaning, as he has been spotted in the paddock at previous Formula One venues as well. Briatore even never contested his innocence, the only thing he wanted to achieve with his court case, was to overturn his life-time ban. The current FIA President Jean Todt now plays the role of the one-eyed Horatio Nelson, seemingly not able or willing (depending on which eye he is using) to enforce the ban the WMSC has imposed upon the Italian.
Of course Briatore didn't visit the Italian Grand Prix without again making a number spicy comments on the current status of Formula One. First he commented about the return of his former protégé Michael Schumacher. "The comeback was wrong. His car is not the best, but he isn't competitive. Rosberg is usually better. Sometimes I just feel sorry for him," Briatore said to the waiting reporters who diligently made their notes. After that it was time to say a few kind words about his other protégé, Mark Webber. According to Briatore Webber should be the number one driver in the Red Bull team. "Red Bull haven't realized yet that if they continue like this, with Webber and Vettel racing against each other, they could lose the championship," he said.
He was also clear about the future of Formula One, from his point of view teams will have to dramatically reduce the costs if they want to survive. "But you'd have to throw 100 people out of the paddock. With today's decision-makers this is not possible. You can't teach them how to save because they never have. It's like sending an alcoholic to rehab in a bar," he commented. Or, how would this be for a comparison Mr. Briatore, to allow a disgraced and banned Crashgate conspirator to return to the scene of the crime, the Formula One paddock, without any punishment or therapy, even worse, without showing any remorse about his past behavior. That would really be disastrous for the sport.
Rumors have emerged Briatore is lobbying to reduce his ban, but he has denied he is planning a return to Formula One. In an interview with the official Formula One website he said, "I have won seven titles with different teams. I want to have fun with what I'm doing -- that is my motivation and not the need for a job. At the moment I wouldn't have fun in Formula One. At the moment I am happy with what I am doing -- being a dad, husband, and taking care of my investments." Despite his ban Briatore is still managing Webber and Fernando Alonso and when asked who will win the title this year he said, "Both would deserve it because both are extremely strong. I personally don't have a favorite. What matters to me is that one of the two will win the title."
The FIA has recently announced they will introduce a Competitor's Staff License, and also announced 'a new mechanism will be introduced to control access to areas under the jurisdiction of the FIA and no pass of any kind will be issued to any person or body who is not in good standing for the purposes of the FIA International Sporting Code'...
www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=387951
Formula One - On and Off track week 38
Racing series COMMENTARY F1 Date 2010-09-22
By Berthold Bouman - Motorsport.com
Briatore makes the impossible possible
Ousted ex-Renault team principal Flavio Briatore was again seen in the paddock and on the start grid of a Formula One event, this time during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Many fans are wondering how on earth Briatore can walk freely around the Formula One paddock from which he was banned for life, visibly enjoying the media attention he unfortunately always attracts, while pretending nothing has ever happened. The answer is simple, his good old friend and business partner and FOM boss Bernie Ecclestone helped him acquiring a VIP pass, the same pass given to people like Dario Franchitti, Eric Clapton, Hugh Grant, the members of the rock bands Kasabian and the Stereophonics, and other real VIP's and celebrities who visited the Italian Grand Prix. Ecclestone reckons that celebrities who visit a Grand Prix will benefit the image of the sport, but if the name of the celebrity is Briatore, he should think again.
Although Briatore has won his appeal against the decision of the FIA WMSC and his life-time ban was overturned, the fact remains that after the appeal the FIA decided to ban Briatore until the end of 2012, but this ban doesn't seem to have any real meaning, as he has been spotted in the paddock at previous Formula One venues as well. Briatore even never contested his innocence, the only thing he wanted to achieve with his court case, was to overturn his life-time ban. The current FIA President Jean Todt now plays the role of the one-eyed Horatio Nelson, seemingly not able or willing (depending on which eye he is using) to enforce the ban the WMSC has imposed upon the Italian.
Of course Briatore didn't visit the Italian Grand Prix without again making a number spicy comments on the current status of Formula One. First he commented about the return of his former protégé Michael Schumacher. "The comeback was wrong. His car is not the best, but he isn't competitive. Rosberg is usually better. Sometimes I just feel sorry for him," Briatore said to the waiting reporters who diligently made their notes. After that it was time to say a few kind words about his other protégé, Mark Webber. According to Briatore Webber should be the number one driver in the Red Bull team. "Red Bull haven't realized yet that if they continue like this, with Webber and Vettel racing against each other, they could lose the championship," he said.
He was also clear about the future of Formula One, from his point of view teams will have to dramatically reduce the costs if they want to survive. "But you'd have to throw 100 people out of the paddock. With today's decision-makers this is not possible. You can't teach them how to save because they never have. It's like sending an alcoholic to rehab in a bar," he commented. Or, how would this be for a comparison Mr. Briatore, to allow a disgraced and banned Crashgate conspirator to return to the scene of the crime, the Formula One paddock, without any punishment or therapy, even worse, without showing any remorse about his past behavior. That would really be disastrous for the sport.
Rumors have emerged Briatore is lobbying to reduce his ban, but he has denied he is planning a return to Formula One. In an interview with the official Formula One website he said, "I have won seven titles with different teams. I want to have fun with what I'm doing -- that is my motivation and not the need for a job. At the moment I wouldn't have fun in Formula One. At the moment I am happy with what I am doing -- being a dad, husband, and taking care of my investments." Despite his ban Briatore is still managing Webber and Fernando Alonso and when asked who will win the title this year he said, "Both would deserve it because both are extremely strong. I personally don't have a favorite. What matters to me is that one of the two will win the title."
The FIA has recently announced they will introduce a Competitor's Staff License, and also announced 'a new mechanism will be introduced to control access to areas under the jurisdiction of the FIA and no pass of any kind will be issued to any person or body who is not in good standing for the purposes of the FIA International Sporting Code'...
www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=387951
