02/04/2016
NEWS STORY
Bernie Ecclestone has hit out at the drivers following GPDA letter, questioning their motivations.
When Bernie Ecclestone reacted to the GPDA's call for change in the way the sport is governed, many opined that the F1 supremo was agreeing with the drivers. He was not.
As we wrote at the time: "... it would seem that the Briton sees the open letter as a means to push his own agenda. Indeed, the very last line, in which he mentions "their very best intentions" will be aimed at the engine manufacturers and teams."
Sure enough, just over a week later, in the face of continued unrest at the state of the sport and the direction it is taking, Ecclestone has hit out at the drivers, questioning their motivations.
"The drivers can say what they like," he told reporters in Bahrain. "They can’t do anything.
"They can give an opinion," he added. "Everyone has got an opinion. Really their discussions are with their team and the team has got a voice. They are only saying what the teams have told them to say."
Asked if he considers the drivers to be windbags - a wonderful old English expression that refers to one who talks a lot, but little of importance - he replied: "Some of them".
Subsequently, when it was suggested the drivers genuinely care about the sport and are not looking to flex their muscles, to show their strength, he snapped: "They haven't got any."
Turning his attention to Sebastian Vettel, who on Thursday had eloquently compared the ongoing qualifying fiasco in terms of an ice cream shop ignoring customers’ demands, Ecclestone sniped: "Do you think he's going to win this race. He should go to his boss and tell him the same thing. They've been running an ice cream shop for a few years now." Ouch!
As ever, Ecclestone has history. In his world the drivers, though for many the stars of the show, are a means to an end, just a part of the 'circus'.
Fans of a certain age will remember his callous remark at the time Alain Prost first 'retired', before returning to the sport for one last season (and title), essentially the move that began talk of drivers taking sabbaticals... years out of the sport.
Asked about Prost's decision to retire, Ecclestone responded that in the old days there was "a natural culling", a crass comment that caused Max Mosley, then FIA president, to admit "that's gone down like a lead Zeppelin".
In Bahrain, the drivers have confirmed their support for the GPDA letter, even those who are not members, insisting that it was born out of their love for the sport, that there is no political agenda.
For as long as we can remember, Pitpass has been calling on the drivers to speak out more, and now under the guidance of (GPDA chairman) Alex Wurz they have found a voice.
We can understand that there will be fears that it is hard enough getting 11 teams to agree therefore what chance 22 drivers. However, these are the men who put their lives on the line for our entertainment - just think back two weeks to Melbourne, what F1 story dominated news coverage the day after - therefore it is only right they have a say.
To dismiss them out of hand as puppets, stooges and windbags is beneath contempt.
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