Bernie at it again

[andyps]

Stirring controversy and showing that he lives in a different world and age to most of the population - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/36086363

[Derek Smith]

I'm not sure the writer of the article was without sympathy for Ecclestone. Further down it listed the accomplishments of female drivers in F1:

Maria Teresa de Filippis: 5 races (1958-69), 3 starts - 0 points
Lella Lombardi: 17 races (1974-76), 12 starts - 0.5 points
Divina Galica: 3 races (1976 & 78), 0 starts (did not qualify)
Desire Wilson: 1 race (1980), 0 starts (did not qualify)
Giovanna Amati: 3 races (1992), 0 starts (did not qualify)

Ecclestone is a fan of Trump and Putin, reckons immigrants don't add anything to this country (which I assume means half of me), and that Hitler got things done, like the ruination of Germany I suppose. Him and Mosley made a pair.

[Soul Reaver]

I guess like all things that depends on the quality of the immigrant does'nt it.

If they are a brainwashed religious bigot of low education, full of hatred viewing women as possesions and me as an infidel then I suppose they don't add anything and indeed in sufficient numbers will take away your very civilisation if you stand by and allow it.

If however they were like my father wanting to make a better life for himself and to work hard at that then they do and I welcome them.

Personally speaking you can keep the former as I don't want them in my country, don't like them or indeed anything they stand for or believe in.

You can welcome and keep the latter.

[Smollet]

Motorsport is one of the few sports that doesn't discriminate against sex and that should be applauded. The fact that no women have ever really succeeded at the pinnacle of it is another matter.

[Derek Smith]

Smollet said:

Motorsport is one of the few sports that doesn't discriminate against sex and that should be applauded. The fact that no women have ever really succeeded at the pinnacle of it is another matter.

I'm not sure all women agree with that.

A few years ago when this subject raised its head there were a couple of females who said that F1 was sexist as the cars required great strength to drive, therefor prejudicing women who were generally weaker.

[eps]

Looks like Bernie hooked a few fishes! I believe there is context to his answers which is being left out of a lot of the news items about his comments...

http://planetf1.com/news/susie-wolff-defends-eccle...

[Eric Mc]

There is ALWAYS context to what Bernie says.

The context is "how can I get F1 noticed in the media".

[eps]

Eric Mc said:

There is ALWAYS context to what Bernie says.

The context is "how can I get F1 noticed in the media".

This!

[scubadude]

What is most amazing about Bernie is how his hair stays so fantastic while his head is up his arse most of the time.


The lack of women in F1 is simple- less girls start in motor sport than boys, a tiny % of people who start motor sport will reach the pinnacle formula, Simples.

[patmahe]

Derek Smith said:

Smollet said:

Motorsport is one of the few sports that doesn't discriminate against sex and that should be applauded. The fact that no women have ever really succeeded at the pinnacle of it is another matter.

I'm not sure all women agree with that.

A few years ago when this subject raised its head there were a couple of females who said that F1 was sexist as the cars required great strength to drive, therefor prejudicing women who were generally weaker.

I don't think you can call that sexism though, the cars are physically tough to drive because the cornering/braking/accelerating forces required to get the car around the circuit in the fastest time possible are huge. A persons sex doesn't come into it. The day it's faster to have a female driver in the car, is the day there will be women in F1, it's about going as fast as possible.

[Derek Smith]

patmahe said:

I don't think you can call that sexism though, the cars are physically tough to drive because the cornering/braking/accelerating forces required to get the car around the circuit in the fastest time possible are huge. A persons sex doesn't come into it. The day it's faster to have a female driver in the car, is the day there will be women in F1, it's about going as fast as possible.

The argument - and this is reportage, not necessarily my opinion - is that the design of the cars and the regulations give an advantage to males so it is therefore sexist. There were comments about heavy steering and braking as well and the physical requirements for the high G-forces and pounding that drivers receive, which means men have an advantage.

There seems to be a lot to support this. In those motor sports where physical requirements are not so high, women do well. Rallying and M. Mouton for instance for top flight, and the lower formulae for open-wheelers.

For those motor sports where drivers of some age regularly compete, indicating lower physical requirements, have women drivers, such as Indycars.

Women play high level tennis, but they don't play tennis against men. That option is not available in F1. So males, it appears, have a distinct advantage.

[Smollet]

Derek Smith said:

I'm not sure all women agree with that.

A few years ago when this subject raised its head there were a couple of females who said that F1 was sexist as the cars required great strength to drive, therefor prejudicing women who were generally weaker.

When I said discriminate I meant having men or women only sports. I can't find any regs in motorsport saying they can't compete against each other due to their sex.

[Likes Fast Cars]

Derek Smith said:

Ecclestone is a fan of Trump and Putin, reckons immigrants don't add anything to this country (which I assume means half of me), and that Hitler got things done, like the ruination of Germany I suppose. Him and Mosley made a pair.

He's probably also a mate of the tyrant Recep Tayyip Erdogan (aka Reggie Doggers).

Bernie was the ringmaster of F1, he is now the circus clown.

[Derek Smith]

Smollet said:

Derek Smith said:

I'm not sure all women agree with that.

A few years ago when this subject raised its head there were a couple of females who said that F1 was sexist as the cars required great strength to drive, therefor prejudicing women who were generally weaker.

When I said discriminate I meant having men or women only sports. I can't find any regs in motorsport saying they can't compete against each other due to their sex.

Sorry. I misunderstood your post.

[anonymous-user]

Derek Smith said:

I'm not sure all women agree with that.

A few years ago when this subject raised its head there were a couple of females who said that F1 was sexist as the cars required great strength to drive, therefor prejudicing women who were generally weaker.

Modern F1 cars have power steering, they have done for a couple of decades, they are a piece of cake to drive physically compared to the early 80's era cars where you had to be a bit of a brute and the drivers were wasted post the race. They don't even break into a sweat now.

Women are just as capable of coping with high G environments, so it's nothing to do with that either (and the current generation cars aren't that high G either)

It's never been easier from a physical point to have a woman drive in F1.

[EnglishTony]

Bernie must have a deal with the Internet providers based on how many people read his comments.

If he hasn't then I 've thought of new angle and want my cut

[coopedup]

EnglishTony said:

Bernie must have a deal with the Internet providers based on how many people read his comments.

If he hasn't then I 've thought of new angle and want my cut

There you go

[The Moose]

jsf said:

the drivers were wasted post the race. They don't even break into a sweat now.

Isn't that also to do with driver training and conditioning?

[Eric Mc]

They were training quite hard even 30 years ago (with some exceptions).

[Derek Smith]

There was a bit on TV a couple of years or so ago with a driver having fun in an F1 car. After a few laps he had to come in because his neck muscles had given up.