Who will become the new Bernie?

[Tazio]

I'd personally hope somebody like Ross Brawn or Christian Horner.

I actually don't think Luca would be so bad. Obviously, he has lifelong ties to Ferrari and would be constantly dogged with assumptions of bias whether it was there or not. Importantly, though, he actually gives a sh!t about the sport and not just the money. That itself would be a huge step up.

Apparently Geri Halliwell has announced her betrothal to the Red Bull
Is it possible That Horner, and The Boss are actually Corsican Brothers

[journeyman racer]

Geri Halliwell? You are kidding???

Just think. When the Spice Girls were taking over the world, Horner was some pedestrian amateur racer, dreaming of being an F1 star.

Well, he's finally become an F1 star!

[Doc Austin]

I think what Horner has achieved has been amazing, though you have to weigh that against having Adrian Newey, an unlimited budget, and Vettel coming into his prime. It would have been hard to fail given those two things. I've read enough of the things he has said to know he's an intelligent and level headed guy.

I am also not sure that running a successful race team equates into being a good F1 Czar. A lot of people don't like Bernie, but remember that the sport was absolutely nowhere when he took over the promotional end. The next guy will have a hard time matching that kind of growth, but success is assured because Bernie (and Max) laid a really solid foundation.

Once something gets as popular as F1, it's hard to screw it up, though they have a mess on their hands now with the finances. Whomever the next guy will be, his first priority has got to be slashing the costs of competing.

People I don't want to see running the sport are anyone previously connected to Ferrari, and surely not Flavio, simply because he's already been thrown out of the sport for life once.

My nomination would be........ Niki Lauda, simply because it is so much fun to see what he is going to say next.

[journeyman racer]

I can never take the suggestion of Flavio Briatore seriously. The guy is a POS

Whomever the next guy will be, his first priority has got to be slashing the costs of competing.

That would be almost impossible. At every level of motorsport. If there's a completion worth winning, people/organisations will throw money at it.

[Doc Austin]

I can never take the suggestion of Flavio Briatore seriously. The guy is a POS

I didn't want to actually say that, but since you did, I agree.

That would be almost impossible. At every level of motorsport. If there's a completion worth winning, people/organisations will throw money at it.

Yes, but you can make it less expensive overall. Indycars are not nearly as expensive, and that's down to a sensible (sort of) rules package. The new cars F1 introduced this year are incredibly complex, and that usually means expensive too. What did Kaltenborn say it costs to field a car? Wasn't it something like $95 million? I think the only way you could burn that much money in Indycar would be to actually burn the money.

Now there is talk of bringing back the old V8 not only because the fans supposedly liked them better, but also because they were a lot less expensive.

If I had the answers I would be running things, but I don't. I just know that when teams can't afford to race, and close their doors instead, it's usually because the costs have gotten out of control.

[Pit Talk Asia.com]

I think if CVC still own F1 when Bernie passes away, it will be their CEO or maybe they'll bring in Zac Brown from JMI.

It could also be Bernies right-hand man at FOM- Pasquale, who's been in Bernies shadow since the 1980's. But he's not as much of a cold-blooded business man.

It's all about relationships anyway. That and fierce negotiation skills is how Bernie has remained in control.

[journeyman racer]

I didn't want to actually say that, but since you did, I agree.

Deep down. Everybody agrees with me on that one.

Yes, but you can make it less expensive overall. Indycars are not nearly as expensive, and that's down to a sensible (sort of) rules package. The new cars F1 introduced this year are incredibly complex, and that usually means expensive too. What did Kaltenborn say it costs to field a car? Wasn't it something like $95 million? I think the only way you could burn that much money in Indycar would be to actually burn the money.

Now there is talk of bringing back the old V8 not only because the fans supposedly liked them better, but also because they were a lot less expensive.

If I had the answers I would be running things, but I don't. I just know that when teams can't afford to race, and close their doors instead, it's usually because the costs have gotten out of control.

I'm just saying the top teams will flog their money at something else, and gain and advantage from that. Look what's happening now with testing restrictions? They get to play with the most awesome racing video games aka simulators.

[Doc Austin]

I'm just saying the top teams will flog their money at something else, and gain and advantage from that.

About the only way you could stop the teams from overspending is to install an FIA certified accountant in every team. Even then, they would probably hide things from him. No.... they would definitely hide things from, him and probably outright lie to him.

It's easier to spend money when it costs $95 million to run a car. If you start with something more sensible it doesn't get out f control as badly. Last estimate I saw for running an Indycar was $5 million, and you could never do that with an F1 car. The engine leases alone would be way more than that. I imagine Renault used to spend that much making the engines play "God save the Queen."

I'm certainly not saying F1 should adopt Indycar rules, but I am just trying to point out it can be more much more cheaply. Of course, if you do it too cheaply, there goes your snob appeal, which I have to admit make F1 a little more interesting.

Look what's happening now with testing restrictions? They get to play with the most awesome racing video games aka simulators.

A good sim is still probably a lot cheaper than running the car. I'm also betting Ferrari can run at Fiorano any time they please, and I would not put them above denying it.

You can't really stop the teams from spending the money if that's what they want to do, but you can give them less things to spend it on. Of course, F1 is all about the ultimate of everything from technology, drivers and even who has the most expensive motorhome. If you take that away I think you will take off some of the luster.

[Bagwan]

There needs to be a real penalty for overspending , and everyone is dubious about whether the accountants could ever police it .

If you firstly took off the cap of number of power units one could use , and , at the same time , froze the amount for the supply at say , $10million a year , you could automatically diminish the returns for pumping money into it .
If , at the same time , manufacturers were forced to supply at least one other team , there would be an automatic need in place to keep at least one cutomer on the grid .

Incentives like added testing days might be used to encourage teams to take on second or third customers .


The financial model has to change , but if they did this , they might be able to see changing it as something positive , keeping essential customers healthy .

[Doc Austin]

Privateers have always been the backbone of endurance racing. It's only when the factories come in and blow them out by spending untold millions that grid sizes become a problem. Privateers would be a great thing for F1, as evidenced by the history of Rob Walker and a few others. Remember, that even Williams began as a privateer scratching to pay the phone bill.

Unfortunately I can't see anyone coming in without factory support and starting a viable team. It just costs too much money. Out of the last three teams that came into F1, how many are left? Maybe Caterham will race again and maybe not, but with them and Marussia hitting the skids it's not going to encourage any new entries.

Haas might be a different deal because he has nearly unlimited money of his own, plus a connection with Ferrari. I'm not sure you can call the Ferrari B team a privateer though.