New Candidate Opens PR Campaign In Bid For FIA Presidency
Written by George Katinger · April 2, 2008
Is it just coincidence or something planned? Days before Max Mosley’s outing as a closet sexual/political deviant, the F1 world is touting Jean Todt as the next
“As long as we maintain systems that encourage competitive racing via regulatory stability, and foster entrepreneurial freedom, yet reflect the world’s changing environmental priorities, then the future of F1 can be every bit as glorious as we want it to be.”
“For F1 to continue to thrive in the way it has thrived all these years, we’ll need rules that foster freedom of entrepreneurship, but we’ll also need rules that encourage close and competitive racing,”
“For F1 to continue to thrive in the way it has thrived all these years, we’ll need rules that foster freedom of entrepreneurship, but we’ll also need rules that encourage close and competitive racing,” he said.
“If we can frame those rules in such a way as to keep costs in check, or even reduce costs, so much the better.
“Because every time the rules are changed, the result is almost always a cost increase. And, because the smaller teams are perhaps less able to meet those cost increases, they may not respond as effectively to a rule change as their more affluent competitors.
“Yet we must change the rules, because the world is changing. But, because we also need regulatory stability, our rule changes must be evolutionary, not revolutionary.”
Dennis said it was clear that F1 is not immune to the environmental challenges facing the world and applauded the
“We must respond to environmental concerns - and, as I’ve said, perhaps that response may require rule changes,” he said.
“KERS, or Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, if developed prudently, will be a sensible and innovative system whereby the waste heat produced by braking can be harnessed and re-used in a way that may be adapted and then adopted by the production cars of the future.
“F1 is uniquely well-placed to showcase and spread awareness of environmental messages… and the
“Entrepreneurship remains essential to the future development of F1.
“If all the current F1 teams are to be involved fruitfully in terms of the profitable enjoyment of every F1 stakeholder, and if the six major car manufacturers currently involved in F1 are to continue to maximise the return on their investment – Mercedes-Benz or Daimler, of course, but also Ferrari or Fiat, Renault, BMW, Honda and Toyota, then the rules by which we go motor racing must be conducive to that entrepreneurship.”
Mr. Dennis than went on to address the length of the F1 season and how many races could be reasonably accommodated.
If the above comments don’t sound like someone running for the highest motor sport office on the planet, I don’t know what does. And I know all my Ferrari loving friends are tossing their cookies all over their keyboards at the thought of Ron Dennis as
Opportunities for self redemption come in the strangest of circumstances, don’t they? We could do a lot worse than Ron or Jean.
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14 Responses to “New Candidate Opens PR Campaign In Bid For FIA Presidency”
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“WELL SPANK MY ARSE & CALL ME HEINRICH !”
So Ron Dennis has come out of hiding this year & said something; up until now he has been maintaining a low profile & letting Whitmarsh do the talking. I guess Ron figures with Max bunkered down (pun intended) the coast is clear & he can take centre stage post “spygate”.
What a bloody ridiculous situation, an absent President, a spineless FIA too scared to eject Max (or at the very least suspend him) & the Crown Prince of Bahrain doing the FIA’s job for them by informing Max he is persona non grata.
Oh well, as Bernie is probably thinking, “You can’t buy this kind of publicity”. Incidentally, didn’t the anonymous photocopy shop clerk from Woking get a thank you trip to Italy & Ferrari HQ. The least the paddock could do is invite the Chelsea girls to Silverstone for a well deserved recognition of services rendered to motorsport………….& Max’s bottom!
I feel dennis the menace, with his posturing for president, is just sticking it in the eye of the FIA for demoting the team to the back of the garages. His actions speak very loudly as to who is behind the set-up be falling the president of the FIA. With such a blatant thumbing of the nose to the FIA I see this as only the first volley in a very ugly war, with no winning side. If dennis the menace is found to be at the “bottom” of this spanking Maxine is about to get dennis will be ousted from the sport he shouldn’t be in anyways. It’s a sad day when once proud men are reduced to personal attacks just for the sake of revenge. My new choice for FIA president is O.J., if the Nazi uniforn doesn’t fit you must acquit.
Mo, are you saying it’s Ron who hired the surveillance team to bag poor Max? While I no doubt believe Ron laughed himself silly when discovering the video and allegations, I can’t believe he instituted this witch hunt.
And if he did, I think he is justified by the results as he has done us all the huge favor of not listening to Max’s sanctimonious BS until 2010. Ron’s lack of commentary on Max’s current plight is just smart, as there is nothing he could say that would serve any useful purpose, other than sheer gloating. I can’t believe he’ll be able to avoid commenting this weekend at the race, let’s wait and see his take on it all. We all know how much Ron loves to gloat!
Let’s stop this Ron Dennis was behind it nonsense right now & stay on track. This is an opportunity to rid motorsport of an arrogant arsehole who has used his position as a personal fiefdom since the early 90’s. Further, with Max out the door some of Bernie’s grasp on the administration of the sport will be diminished.
It can’t get any worse than international auto concerns issuing statements telling the FIA he is unfit for the role, the German manufacturers issued a “joint” statement for the love of God. Combine that with Bahraini’s publicly objecting to his presence & you have a situation that is untenable. Max’s continued presence is an embarrassment that is damaging the sport & industry which employs, directly & indirectly, thousands of people.
His refusal to step down is a clear signal to the FIA that he must be removed forcibly from the position. Max must go, immediately.
BTW, on the drive home from work last night, my local radio station played the late Ian Durrie & the Blockheads “Hit me with your rhythm stick”. I smiled & sang along…..”hit me slowly, hit me quick, hit me hit me!”
Mosley still believes that he can use his position as President to denounce his critics (just like last year when he attacked Jackie Stewart for voicing an opinion differing to his own).
Mosley replied to the Merc/BMW by saying: “Given the history of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, particularly before and during the Second World War, I fully understand why they would wish to distance themselves from what they rightly describe as the disgraceful content of these publications. Unfortunately, they did not contact me before putting out their statement to ask whether the content was in fact true.” By this logic News of the World should have contacted Max first before publishing the video.
So is this to be Max’s stance? Proclamation to all manufacturers, by edict of Max Rufus Mosley. “All press statements are to be submitted to the office of FIA president for vetting”.
The arrogant arsehole!
We have all said many times before, the Maxine and Bernice show has to end.
It’s sad that we have someone who feels this is the only way to make that happen.
There is no way I could ever endorse this kind of behaviour, if it is true.
But I never approved of Bill Clinton’s behaviour while still in office, especially the lying under oath. Clinton was formally impeached for his lying, yet refused to leave office, and almost every radical liberal approved of this behaviour(”it’s only sex” I seemed to hear over and over again, ignoring the lying completely even when questioned about it.)
I said before Bernice could even be behind campaign, the reasons he could have are a little foggy to me (just for publicity?).
The obvious candidate would be RD, but as others have pointed out, Maxine has many enemies.
To return to the post we started this conversation about, Mr. Dennis’ posturing for a possible presidency of the FIA. When pigs fly that will happen. Do you think the people who decide have forgotten the blatant lying he did in front of the FIA?
I still feel this was more a way of dennis the menace gloating over Maxine’s current “position” since ” Ron’s lack of commentary on Max’s current plight “.
Peter, I have a whole new respect for you dude. Classic alternative music, isn’t that song from the 70s? I always thought that was Iggy Pop. You brought back some good memories of Ferrari winning championships, Gilles Villenueve sliding around corners and flying when they made the turn off Ocean Ave in Long Beach. Good times back then, pits were open to anyone, a chain link fence between us and the track, access to any corner. Nothing like it has become with all the lawyers invovled.
Niki Lauda for president and I’m sticking to it. I’ll ring up Bernice and see how he feels about it.
Mo? When you say ” We have all said many times before, the Maxine and Bernice show has to end. It’s sad that we have someone who feels this is the only way to make that happen.” Are you referring to Ron?
If so, firstly, I’m not remotely convinced he is gunning for the job, that speech was to a Bahrain business forum & a Bahraini consortium owns 30% off MM. On another note I would like a show of hands, how many people really feel that a tacky sex scandal is too high a cost to have Max removed from his position? Anybody?
I have absolutely no qualms using the tawdry NOTW for this task. If the Allies could get in bed with a monster like Stalin to overthrow Hitler, you & I can’t blanch at questionable ethics of Murdoch’s grubby journo’s down at NOTW fulfilling the noble task of bringing down Mosley. Pulitzer prizes to all involved, investigative journalism at it’s best, who cares about break-in’s & plumbers at some hotel in Washington or the Whitehouse……mind you Nixon & Max are both dicks (get it?).
I cant wait for George to post a sanctimonious “Max, goodbye & good riddance” piece in the blog should he be ejected; which I believe to be increasingly likely. I’ll be the first to pour bile & vitriol on the pompous wanker for the damage he has inflicted on F1 ! You won’t find anything balanced or objective coming from my keyboard regarding Max Mosley - sexual peccadilloes aside - Max has used his position & power without any real accountability for far too long. “A bully, a tyrant & a perverted degenerate” will read his obituary.
Oh & yes Ian Dury (correct spelling) was late 70’s, hardly my era but I have commandeered my older brother’s vinyl of “New Boots & Panties” & refuse to give it back.
No I wasn’t referring to dennis the menace specifically, just anyone who uses these kind of tactics to acheive their goals. Why not oust Maxine on the merits of his job instead of his personal life? There is plenty of ammo to use against Maxine without setting him up with some hookers. How many of you wouldn’t partake in a little good old wholesome fun if it were offered? Here in the states we can do it legally in some areas, so the paying for it is a none issue in some people’s eyes. The role playing aspect is the only questionable behaviour. I have had a coupe of girlfriends that were into role playing, just without the costumes. So if this is all you have to oust a sitting president of the FIA, good luck. Maxine will fight this with all of his legal skills and money. It could be a very ugly battle, especially when it comes to light whoever is behind this setup.
My feelings are Maxine needs to go. If we could only find a better reason than this scandal to use to oust him. Maybe we could use the old excuse that he wasn’t doing his job.
This is the reason we shouldn’t have lawyers in postions of power, they tend to use the law to acheive their own goals, be it a witch hunt or just to cover up their own tawdry personal life. We need someone with the desire to make the sport better without having any personal axes to grind. Oh, and they don;t get paid for it either. Good luck finding that special someone these days.
My memories of Ian Dury were my theme song in the 70s and early 80s, sex and drugs and rock and roll. Classic stuff there.
Far be it from me to shatter your memories of the 70’s fellas, but the music of Ian and his Blockheads is mediocre at best and just plain awful at it’s worst. I must admit to never having heard of the group and after giving a listen I know why. They suck!
Peter, I suggest recycling the vinyl into something more useful, maybe a plant stand.
[peteg-condescendingly-shakes-his-head-at-George's-lack-of-knowlegde]
Kattinger you heathen!! And what 70’s skeletons do you have hiding in your closet George? ………No! please don’t answer that. ;-)
“And what 70’s skeletons do you have hiding in your closet George?”
More than you can imagine Peter, which is why I never discuss them in public. I like keeping my personal life personal………kinda like Max!
“Spasticus Autisticus.” Love the Blockheads. Niki Lauda is the reason I got into F1, but he’d make a lousy President. Not only was he kicked out of Jaguar for being useless, his own airline, that he founded, kicked him out. Or maybe he’s dong it in reverse to Max. Start with getting kicked out and get better.
Thanks for stopping by Arnet. Isn’t it strange that two of the greatest drivers ever were flops as team owners/principals? Lauda and Prost.
I think Jackie has it right when he says we need a non-F1 business man to govern with transparency and fairness for all. I’d settle for Jackie as I’m not sure who could step up and fill the void, especially after Max has defecated all over the office.