The thoughts of president Max
04/02/2004
NEWS STORY
On Tuesday, FIA President Max Mosley held the second of his media lunches ahead of the 2004 season, here are some of the main points that arose.
- There will be no changes to the points system in 2004.
- If any changes are to be made to the regulations - after the end of the Concorde Agreement - these will have to be announced before the end of the 2005 season.
- Mr Mosley still believes that if manufacturers were to provide second, and even third teams, with engines this would seriously reduce costs. The FIA is considering starting a championship for engine manufacturers whereby all cars that use the manufacturer's engines would score points, thus making the idea of supplying second (and third) teams more attractive.
- Mr Mosley was never convinced by the threat of the Grand Prix World Championship series (GPWC) and regards it as a "Mickey Mouse idea", straight out of the Cayman Islands.
- Mr Mosley is extremely impressed with the A1 Grand Prix series proposed by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum. He thinks it is a great idea that would be beneficial to the fans and young racers. He revealed that he hopes to see more ideas such as this.
- With regards the replacement for F3000, the proposed GP2 Championship, whoever wants to bid for this franchise has to put it out to tender.
- The new Grand Prix weekend schedule is widely recognised as being better than in 2003.
- Whereas Bernie Ecclestone is primarily concerned with TV viewing figures, Mosley wants to see packed grandstands on all three days of Grand Prix meetings. He believes that this could be achieved if tickets were priced more sensibly. The FIA president also remarked that he believes Ecclestone's Digital F1 service to be uneconomical.
- Government minister Patricia Hewitt has already responded to BAR boss David Richards' letter relating to the anti-tobacco laws and how they appear to punish British teams only. Mr Mosley suggests that the first directive of the proposal was illegal.
- With the date of the tobacco ban brought forward, it's understood that Ecclestone will manipulate the 2005 calendar in order that all the European races are run before the deadline.
- With regards the European Arrest Warrant (EAW), there are 32 possible offences. Only three countries have signed up so far, but others will follow over the course of the next few months. The first country that the F1 circus visits, which has agreed to the EAW, is Spain.
- "Health and sanity permitting", Mosley will stand for re-election as President of the FIA again in October 2005.
- Mr Mosley believes that under his directorship the FIA has done as much for (road) car safety than American campaigner Ralf Nader.
- With regards Silverstone, Mosley believes that the ongoing problems can be sorted out, however the Northamptonshire track, and its owners, mustn't be allowed to "slip back". He referred to Silverstone as "Bernie's hobby".
- With regards Germany continuing to host two rounds of the Formula One World Championship, Mosley said that Germany has a "grown up attitude towards tobacco".
- Mr Mosley admitted that he would rather see a sole tyre supplier in F1 as opposed to the current 'tyre war'. He believes this would seriously cut costs as it would reduce the need for testing.
- When a driver is adjudged to have done something deserving of a penalty, TV viewers will be alerted by means of a warning notice on their screens. The appeal process will take place within a week in order that in cases of back-to-back races, drivers will know their penalty before the second event.
