Quote Originally Posted by Nitrodaze View Post
The mentoring idea of having new blood into Bernies position looks credible on face value. Three years may be enough to break that individual into the F1 culture that dates back over eighty years. I suspect the teams and the FIA would do their best to welcome this new input to the sport. However, the current challenges are not going to evaporate with the change of ownership. The test is how they approach it and what sort of reactions they conjure up. There are clearly going to be very interesting and entertaining politics ahead. I am curious how it would shape out. But the signs suggest that it would be promising.

I think that there are very credible candidates within the F1 world that could do the job and assure the protection of the F1 DNA as you put it. For instance, Speedbowl racing is not F1. Admittedly, it use to be. There are still remnants of oval tracks at Monza for instance. Also, l concede that current F1 tracks only offer a partial view of the race to attending spectators. The real problem is the performance gap between the teams. Reducing the chances that one team can run away with the championship without proper challenges from other teams is what needs to be addressed. F1 is not only a war of speed but also a war of technological ingenuity.

Candidates that come to mind include Ross Brawn, Gerhard Berger, Alain Prost to name a few. These chaps are astute leaders and would make great promoters of the sport.

Bernies longevity in his position stems from not only his ingenuity as a deal maker but also his deep connection with the formula. He was a team principle if you need reminding. I think realistic success would be assure with having someone with that level of connection to the sport to steer its future.
I am aware of Bernie's history in the sport. I actually think F1 needs a leader from outside its inner circles. I think it has come to a point now where the teams need to be told with a firm hand, this is the way it's going to be, take it or leave it. The big guns have too much invested in the sport to simply walk away right now, although it is possible they might do it, so it has to be treated in a firm but fair (or appearing fair) way.

Among the things that needs to change is spectators access to drivers at race weekends. The only driver that really makes an effort at race weekends to mingle with fans is Lewis Hamilton and he doesn't interact with the fans every race weekend. All drivers needs to have fan time and the fans need that as, right now, they come, they go and that's it. That needs to change and the pitwall has to become less isolated. I'm one of the lucky ones that can get a pit pass to events when I go to a F1 race. This isn't the same for everyone. Most people don't ever get the chance.

So there are huge amounts that can and need changing, and I do think Liberty Media are the right boys for this kind of transition. If don't correctly, they could make F1 a global phenomenon. And, you know what, I don't think they'll have too much resistance from the teams. More exposure and media coverage make for more money. No team will say no to money and it could very well benefit the likes of Sauber and Manor greatly, which would be fantastic, in my opinion. It just has to be done right.