Ecclestone: Button dominance 'very, very bad' for F1

[CNR]

http://www.crash.net/formula+one/New...ad_for_f1.html

Amidst the euphoria in Britain surrounding Jenson Button's sensational start to the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship campaign, Bernie Ecclestone has tempered celebrations somewhat with the suggestion that the Brawn GP star's dominance is actually beginning to hurt the sport rather than than boost it.

No driver has prevailed in six of the opening seven outings like Button has done since the legendary Michael Schumacher back in 2004, and the German's level of superiority was so acute that it led to spectators deserting the top flight in their droves. The top flight's influential ringmaster Ecclestone fears that should the existing trend continue, it could ultimately end up producing the same undesirable effect.

On present form, the Frome-born ace is likely to wrap up the title with several races to spare, depriving the end of the season of the tension and uncertainty that has characterised the past few years and kept fans gripped right up until the final lap of the final grand prix.

Ironically, under Ecclestone's controversial Olympic Games-style medals system billed for introduction in 2010, the 29-year-old would need to triumph just twice more this year to be assured of lifting the laurels – and the Formula One Management (FOM) chief executive admitted that he hopes the opposition will be quick to up its game and provide the current runaway pace-setter with a decent fight.

[Knock-on]

I think the reason lots of people were turned off F1 was because the FIA favoured Ferrari and assumed everyone was happy about that.

Ferrari's manufactured dominance went on for years. Can anyone begrudge Button and Brawn after the torrid time and amazing effort they have put in just to get to race this year?

[F1boat]

Actually I'd like to see a convincing champion -for a change. Hopefully Jenson will win the championship as soon as possible

[Dave B]

I hope there's no knee-jerk reaction to one team's dominace, such as re-writing the sporting regulations without properly considering the implications.

And to think, it was Bernie who wanted the winner-takes-all medals system for this year - Button would be virtually guaranteed the championship under Mr E's stupid proposals!

[F1boat]

Actually the rules will be different next year - if there is next year.

[Valve Bounce]

Bernie: my heart bleats for you :- mehehehehehe

[ioan]

Can anyone begrudge Button and Brawn after the torrid time and amazing effort they have put in just to get to race this year?

You mean after the FIA favored them with the DDD ruling?

So manufactured is wrong if it's Ferrari and it's right if it's Honda?!

[V12]

Allow me to translate the thread title properly:

Ecclestone: Button dominance 'very, very bad' for his wallet.

F1 is a sport. Sport consists of winners and losers. Occasionally the winners do such a good job that they win repeatedly and/or by a huge margin. Deal with it.

Perhaps Bernie should jack the whole F1 thing in and move into directing films - that sounds like more his cup of tea, "entertainment" and scripted plots and endings.

[ioan]

Allow me to translate the thread title properly:

Ecclestone: Button dominance 'very, very bad' for his wallet.

F1 is a sport. Sport consists of winners and losers. Occasionally the winners do such a good job that they win repeatedly and/or by a huge margin. Deal with it.

Perhaps Bernie should jack the whole F1 thing in and move into directing films - that sounds like more his cup of tea, "entertainment" and scripted plots and endings.

Agree!

[ArrowsFA1]

So manufactured is wrong if it's Ferrari and it's right if it's Honda?!

Perhaps there is a difference between a team being given the right of veto over technical regulations for almost a decade, and the FIA finding that a particular interpretation of the regulations relating to one aspect of a cars design was legal.