Did Mercedes force the FIA to replace Masi and Tombazis?
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Thread: Did Mercedes force the FIA to replace Masi and Tombazis?

  1. #1
    Senior Administrator huub vink's Avatar
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    Did Mercedes force the FIA to replace Masi and Tombazis?

    The new organisation chart from the FIA has been released and the names of Masi and Tombazis are missing and replaced by Peter Bayer. Rumours go that Mercedes/Hamilton dropped their case against the FIA in exchange that Masi and Tombazis would be replaced. Just a rumour or the logical way to end a conflict? And does anybody knows this Peter Bayer?

    Cheers,
    Huub

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    Retired SOH Administrator Ferry_vO's Avatar
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    Like last year, not all pages have been released. Same thing happened last season.

    And if Mercedes have this kind of power, then the integrity of F1 and the FIA really is at stake.
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  3. #3
    The integrity of FIA was in doubt as far back as Belgium,
    when Masi insisted they race, started it under yellow safety car and after one lap called the race done and awarded full race points.

    They should have removed him as race director, not just as one of F1 rulemakers


    Ttfn

    Pete

  4. #4
    Senior Administrator huub vink's Avatar
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    In Belgium it was either race, not race or this. Racing was considered too dangerous, not racing would lead to claims of those who paid to see a race, which made this a stupid, but also the most logical solution.
    I had friends sitting there, soaking wet, who had paid a few hundred Euros to see some racing cars. And they were pleased they at least saw the cars passing by. So this decision made some people happy (or less disappointed).
    (No reimbursement, but a ticket in the lottery for one of the 170 free tickets!)

    You can argue whether this was really the best decision, but I personally don't really see what integrity has to do with it.

    Cheers,
    Huub

  5. #5
    I doubt Mercedes 'EffWun' (aka Toto's Toys) has that much influence Huub but stranger things have happened.
    The single most damaging aspect of what passes for 'Formula 1' today is the vested interests who decree that entertainment rules and that equates to money above all.
    After the rabid comments following the Spa debacle it was declared that there were to be no further race finishes behind the Pace Car, possibly influenced by aforesaid vested interests.
    No idea where Masi came from or what experience qualified him to be appointed 'Race Director' but I think there is a whiff of 'Jobs for the Boys' in the air.
    And the laments for another 'Charlie Whiting' are rather hypocritical as he did come up with the odd creative decision at times!
    To be brutally frank it is time for the FIA to undergo a serious shakeup and come up with a 'Race Committee' built around former drivers, team principals and race team technical representatives, all of whom must undergo
    a full disclosure of any and all personal interests........but that isn't going to happen!
    Liberty comes with it's full share of financial baggage just like any huge corporate institution dedicated to making big bucks, and that's all she wrote.

    And an OT footnote: Spa is undergoing circuit 'enhancements', or so I read, the good news (IMHO) attached to this has been the announcement of a WSBK round at the circuit for 2022.
    "Illegitimum non carborundum".

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  6. #6
    exactly my point, Huub & Wombat: racing at Spa was considered too dangerous but they did it anyway under safety car to avoid having to refund
    all those fans; they seem to have quickly forgotten how many drivers are no longer around due to racing or attempting to in those conditions

    The FIA (specifically MASI) had the power to abandon racing but didn't ;

    ttfn

    Pete

  7. #7
    Senior Administrator huub vink's Avatar
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    The way F1 is currently organised (thanks to Bernie Ecclestone) is that the FIA or Formula One organisation is not financially responsible for the event, including reimbursement. F1 is a circus you can hire for an awful lot of money, when you have a circuit. When it pleases them, they will come. However the entity who is organising the race is financially responsible. For Zandvoort this was the organisation "Dutch Grand Prix", which is registered as a private company and which registered target is "to exploit a racing circuit in Zandvoort and corresponding facilities and to organise events at the circuit". The money is supplied by sponsoring of large (Dutch) companies, like Heineken, Jumbo, VolkerWessel, etc. (There are 10 main sponsors....)

    So for the FIA there is not a real requirement to entertain the crowd. As soon as they agree to come, their money is more or less guaranteed. Their only risk is that the organiser goes broke and they don't get paid. However I think a bank statement is one of the essential requirements before FIA or F1 decide to come.

    So the whole thing in Belgium was not really in the interest of the FIA or F1. It was most probably only done as a favour to keep the organisation "Circuit de Franchorchamps" (sponsored mainly by the hotels and restaurants in the region and the government of the Walloon Region) alive. (I think even the money made with the ROLEX advertising/Clock goes directly to the FIA and does not benefit the organiser of the race).

    Cheers,
    Huub

    In short "Money rules". (And Toto has a lot and is (financially) present in too many areas in Formula One).

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Motormouse View Post
    exactly my point, Huub & Wombat: racing at Spa was considered too dangerous but they did it anyway under safety car to avoid having to refund
    all those fans; they seem to have quickly forgotten how many drivers are no longer around due to racing or attempting to in those conditions
    The FIA (specifically MASI) had the power to abandon racing but didn't ;
    ttfn
    Pete
    I would point to the Austrian (or whatever it was called last year) MotoGP and Brad Binder staying out on the KTM wearing worn slicks in pouring rain to score an outstanding victory.
    He had more than a few 'moments' but stayed on the bike, showing no fear, while others pitted for their wet weather bikes.
    Given the ridiculous amounts of $$$$ paid to the (so-called!) 'Best Drivers in the World' who decides what is 'dangerous'.
    I might be a cynic but the 'safety' measures applied to the canoes that run under the 'F1' banner are the reason that they can't run in wet weather.
    Of course, even on a damp circuit most of the grid can't get through the first corner due to a lack of race discipline.
    I'll get 'orf me soapbox and go take my medication now.........
    "Illegitimum non carborundum".

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  9. #9
    Retired SOH Administrator Ferry_vO's Avatar
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    The flat floor of modern F1 cars is the main culprit here, once the car starts aquaplaning you become a passenger. Motorbikes do not have that problem.
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  10. #10

    Icon2

    Interesting how times have changed.....Used to be Ferrari were ones accused of having too much power and influence.....(And who knows in between and before)

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferry_vO View Post
    The flat floor of modern F1 cars is the main culprit here, once the car starts aquaplaning you become a passenger. Motorbikes do not have that problem.
    On the subject of cars with 'Flat Bottoms'.......the Ferrari F92A, an absolute dog of a car, and one that I never worked the theory behind the aerodynamics!




    Jean Alesi never seemed to hang back with this car, he simply bounced it from kerb to kerb at Adelaide in 1992!
    "Illegitimum non carborundum".

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  12. #12

    Icon5

    On the subject of cars with 'Flat Bottoms'.......the Ferrari F92A, an absolute dog of a car, and one that I never worked the theory behind the aerodynamics!
    Jean Alesi never seemed to hang back with this car, he simply bounced it from kerb to kerb at Adelaide in 1992!
    Well,...Wikipedia ;-) says this:

    "The car was most famous for its "double-flat bottom" floor which produced a competitive level of downforce, but it was hamstrung by the Ferrari V12 engine which suffered excessive blow-by,[8] reckoned to cost the team up to 50bhp."

  13. #13
    Senior Administrator huub vink's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Panther_99FS View Post
    Interesting how times have changed.....Used to be Ferrari were ones accused of having too much power and influence.....(And who knows in between and before)
    Who said they don't have (too much) power anymore?

  14. #14
    Retired SOH Administrator Ferry_vO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Panther_99FS View Post
    Interesting how times have changed.....Used to be Ferrari were ones accused of having too much power and influence.....(And who knows in between and before)

    That was 2019 (At least in engine power.)..
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  15. #15

    Icon2

    Quote Originally Posted by huub vink View Post
    Who said they don't have (too much) power anymore?
    Well...I do miss the days of cheering for Ken Tyrell's outfit and Eddie Jordan!

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