Alex Wurtz for FIA president?

[red_duke]

I don't think Jean Todt is up to the job to be honest. He's largely invisible compared to his predecessor Max Mosely and lacks the vision and drive to rescue F1.

I reckon Alex Wurtz would be superb in the role. He has good ideas, is well respected, and is politically astute enough to get things done!

Anyone else agree?

[EnglishTony]

Todt needs replacing but at least he's not getting slagged off for being as totalitarian as his predecessor, a mam who really liked to thrash his opponents and indeed give them a damn good spanking.

I am not sure Wurz is the answer though. He may have a good overview of F1 but the FIA is more than just that.

[Alex Langheck]

FiA President, not the F1 President, as many seem to think. Other series need looking after, not just F1.

All in all, I'd say Todt has ended up being disappointing. He hasn't taken a 'hands on' role with any of the FiA's series, leaving it up to the promoters, etc
F1 is shooting itself in the foot, the WRC is not really hugely better off than when he took over, the WTCC is anonymous as ever.
The only thing he's really done is bring back a World Championship for Sportscars - even then it became the Endurance championship; and we now have a World RX championship.

Has Wurz expressed an interest in the role? He looks qualified; F1, Sportscars, father was a RallyCross ace.....

[red_duke]

Alex Langheck said:

FiA President, not the F1 President, as many seem to think.

That's what I said. I'm well aware the role has a wider remit than F1.

Alex Langheck said:

Has Wurz expressed an interest in the role?

Not to my knowledge. I'm volunteering him!

Edited by red_duke on Sunday 3rd April 12:01

[Derek Smith]

Todt hasn't got any power with F1. That was removed by Mosely, although one might assume that Ecclestone was in there somewhere. F1 gives no money to the FIA, other than by super licences, again thanks to Mosley's time in the slot.

He's tried to push WRC and sportscars, but he's got few options.

He's recently been seen with Mosely and Ecclestone and one wonders why.

Without money and the ability to promise support to sponsors, the FIA presidency has proved to be little more than an honoury position.

[sirtyro]

Derek Smith said:

F1 gives no money to the FIA, other than by super licences, again thanks to Mosley's time in the slot.

I thought FOM pay a fee for the 100 year licence to promote F1?

[tobinen]

David Tremayne puts forward Wurz in the latest edition of GP+ and makes an interesting case for him. Todt is useless and needs replacing.

[anonymous-user]

Todt clearly doesn't watch any of the sport if he thinks changing the qualifying was a route to increasing interest in Saturday. It may not have been his idea, but he has said on camera that he thinks that changing qualifying is a way to increase interest in Saturday. How out of touch with the F1 audience do you need to be if you seriously believe the qualifying format was broken?

The simple fact is Saturday is not as popular because there isn't a race on Saturday, and points are not given on Saturday. IMO it doesn't matter what the hell you do to it, it's not a race, therefore not as popular as Sunday.

[andyps]

sirtyro said:

Derek Smith said:

F1 gives no money to the FIA, other than by super licences, again thanks to Mosley's time in the slot.

I thought FOM pay a fee for the 100 year licence to promote F1?

I got the impression that the pittance (in commercial terms) was paid in one instalment for some reason. As, allegedly, was a nice gratuity to the then honorary president of the FIA by the commercial rights holder - an amount that most of us wouldn't regard as a pittance!

[andyps]

RenOHH said:

Todt clearly doesn't watch any of the sport if he thinks changing the qualifying was a route to increasing interest in Saturday. It may not have been his idea, but he has said on camera that he thinks that changing qualifying is a way to increase interest in Saturday. How out of touch with the F1 audience do you need to be if you seriously believe the qualifying format was broken?

The simple fact is Saturday is not as popular because there isn't a race on Saturday, and points are not given on Saturday. IMO it doesn't matter what the hell you do to it, it's not a race, therefore not as popular as Sunday.

The hope was that the change might mix up the grid to make Sunday more interesting, rather than specifically making changes for the sake of Saturday itself.

[andyps]

And in terms of the original point, he could do a great job in relation to the sporting element of the FIA remit.

[davidd]

F1 does give cash to the FIA, to run the events. Race control etc...

Alex would be a very good choice...

[patmahe]

He does seem to be a man with the sports best interests at heart, so it'll probably never happen.

[Europa1]

red_duke said:

I don't think Jean Todt is up to the job to be honest.

I was ambivalent about Todt until I saw an official, formal photo taken to mark some occasion in F1 (it was at one of the middle eastern races, I think). All the drivers, plus I think Bernie Ecclestone, plus Jean Todt. Plus his bloody wife. What, in the name of Judas Iscariot's bumboy (to quote E Blackadder), has she got to do with F1? Just summed up the atmosphere of self indulgence and navel gazing which seems to surround much of motorsport's governance.

[AndrewEH1]

Europa1 said:

red_duke said:

I don't think Jean Todt is up to the job to be honest.

I was ambivalent about Todt until I saw an official, formal photo taken to mark some occasion in F1 (it was at one of the middle eastern races, I think). All the drivers, plus I think Bernie Ecclestone, plus Jean Todt. Plus his bloody wife. What, in the name of Judas Iscariot's bumboy (to quote E Blackadder), has she got to do with F1?

Watching the C4F1 for Bahrain Todt was on the start/finish line before the race with the ex-King of Spain and some other officials, you could tell just by his appearance that he is incapable.