The Official Bahrain GP Thread***SPOILERS***
Discussion
fatboy69 said:
He is rude & ignorant. Always has been. Until,of course,It comes to money when I have no doubt he is very charming. Didn't see the interval as haven't yet upgraded SKy however it would have been a valid question bearing in mind the potential for trouble & all the arguments as to whether or not the race should have been run.
He was evasive as he had planned to be in London to watch his new girlfriend compete in the marathon. I suspect she is a bit younger than him!Love him or loathe him you can't deny that Bernie is F1.
Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
Tony2or4 said:
Prior to the 2008 race it had been several years since I'd been to Silverstone for the F1 GP. I remember how, between sessions and races, you used to be able to browse round the myriad of stalls which were flogging any manner of car- and race-oriented stuff, like models, books, tools, accessories, caps etc etc - and at mainly reasonable prices, too.
But when we went in 2008, I was amazed and saddened to see how all the little, independent traders had been driven out, and the only stalls there were Bernie's F1-accredited ones, all selling just the official items, at ludicrous prices. I saw that as a step backwards.
Not been since then - is it just the same now, anybody?
I went in 2010. Yes.But when we went in 2008, I was amazed and saddened to see how all the little, independent traders had been driven out, and the only stalls there were Bernie's F1-accredited ones, all selling just the official items, at ludicrous prices. I saw that as a step backwards.
Not been since then - is it just the same now, anybody?
Crafty_ said:
Love him or loathe him you can't deny that Bernie is F1.
Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
They got through recessions before him as well.Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
The sad thing is that the F1 scene is so moulded to "Bernie's Game" that it could very well implode/explode when he finally leaves the scene. In other words, he has so morphed it into his plaything that he has left it in a state that it might not be able to sustain itself without him - which, as anyone involved in succession planning of a business will tell; you, is usually disastrous.
Crafty_ said:
Love him or loathe him you can't deny that Bernie is F1.
Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
There are many sides to Bernie, such as giving teams advances in reward money and near enough interest free loans in times of need as mentioned above. This is the man who sat Eddie Jordan down one day and told him to sell his team while he was ahead before he bankrupted himself and put his family into that position with him. He plays nothing more than a shrewd game and it keeps the team bosses on their toes and imo it adds that extra bit of interest to the sport.Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
He's far from a stupid man, he'll make sure there's an infrastructure in place for F1 to carry on as it is and keep growing. It has more fans all over the world now than it ever has. There was a time through the 70's, 80's 90's and before that where you'd be lucky to catch more than basic highlights on TV. Bernie has been a big part in changing that and getting the level of coverage that's now available to every fan. If going to countries who are willing to spend big money to host a race is necessary to help fund that then I can't see the problem. And before anyone moans about their only being highlights on the BBC, that isn't down to Bernie that's down to the BBC themselves. Always better to send all the TV crew out their but then not want to pay the money to show all races live, why do that when you can watch no-mark celebrities dressed like t
ts and trying to get through a stupid shaped hole in a polystyrene wall.As much as he threatens races like the British and Belgian races, he also knows the teams, drivers and most importantly sponsors love the old circuits, more deals are for sponsorship are done in Monaco that just about any other race throughout the year. They're a vital part of the F1 circus and even he wouldn't let them disappear off the calender. That's why they don't have to pay anywhere near the same fee's as races like Bahrain, Abu Dhabi etc. F1 has been about the glitz and glamour of motorsport for a long time now and 'proper motorsport fans' shouldn't be put off by that if they are indeed a true fan.
DanDC5 said:
There are many sides to Bernie, such as giving teams advances in reward money and near enough interest free loans in times of need as mentioned above. This is the man who sat Eddie Jordan down one day and told him to sell his team while he was ahead before he bankrupted himself and put his family into that position with him. He plays nothing more than a shrewd game and it keeps the team bosses on their toes and imo it adds that extra bit of interest to the sport.
He's far from a stupid man, he'll make sure there's an infrastructure in place for F1 to carry on as it is and keep growing. It has more fans all over the world now than it ever has. There was a time through the 70's, 80's 90's and before that where you'd be lucky to catch more than basic highlights on TV. Bernie has been a big part in changing that and getting the level of coverage that's now available to every fan. If going to countries who are willing to spend big money to host a race is necessary to help fund that then I can't see the problem. And before anyone moans about their only being highlights on the BBC, that isn't down to Bernie that's down to the BBC themselves. Always better to send all the TV crew out their but then not want to pay the money to show all races live, why do that when you can watch no-mark celebrities dressed like tts and trying to get through a stupid shaped hole in a polystyrene wall.
As much as he threatens races like the British and Belgian races, he also knows the teams, drivers and most importantly sponsors love the old circuits, more deals are for sponsorship are done in Monaco that just about any other race throughout the year. They're a vital part of the F1 circus and even he wouldn't let them disappear off the calender. That's why they don't have to pay anywhere near the same fee's as races like Bahrain, Abu Dhabi etc. F1 has been about the glitz and glamour of motorsport for a long time now and 'proper motorsport fans' shouldn't be put off by that if they are indeed a true fan.
The letters you've typed come together to make a whole lot of sense He's far from a stupid man, he'll make sure there's an infrastructure in place for F1 to carry on as it is and keep growing. It has more fans all over the world now than it ever has. There was a time through the 70's, 80's 90's and before that where you'd be lucky to catch more than basic highlights on TV. Bernie has been a big part in changing that and getting the level of coverage that's now available to every fan. If going to countries who are willing to spend big money to host a race is necessary to help fund that then I can't see the problem. And before anyone moans about their only being highlights on the BBC, that isn't down to Bernie that's down to the BBC themselves. Always better to send all the TV crew out their but then not want to pay the money to show all races live, why do that when you can watch no-mark celebrities dressed like t
ts and trying to get through a stupid shaped hole in a polystyrene wall.As much as he threatens races like the British and Belgian races, he also knows the teams, drivers and most importantly sponsors love the old circuits, more deals are for sponsorship are done in Monaco that just about any other race throughout the year. They're a vital part of the F1 circus and even he wouldn't let them disappear off the calender. That's why they don't have to pay anywhere near the same fee's as races like Bahrain, Abu Dhabi etc. F1 has been about the glitz and glamour of motorsport for a long time now and 'proper motorsport fans' shouldn't be put off by that if they are indeed a true fan.
Crafty_ said:
Love him or loathe him you can't deny that Bernie is F1.
Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
I'm not sure you can say someone who doesn't race in one way or another is F1.Over the past 40(?) years he's kept the wheels on the wagon. Who else would of lent money to struggling teams for next to nothing ?
Look at the safety improvements that have happened - The hiring of Sid Watkins was instrumental in that.
the whole FISA/FOCA thing could of ended very badly (Look at the CART/Champ Car/Indy Car mess).
How many recessions have we got through?
Sure there are bad sides to Bernie, but he's irreplaceable I think. When he does finally pop his clogs CVC will employ a small army of people to do what he does and I'd be willing to bet they screw it up at some point too.
I'd have that he is the business side of F1. He understands what makes that side of it tick more than, for instance, Mosley did. It has enabled him to milk the sport for all it is worth. Giving loans to teams is like giving a bit more grass to a cow. He'll get it back in the end.
Those who are the sport are those who have dedicated their lives to racing. Ron Dennis, the Williams/Head parnership, these are the ones who deserve the accolade.
As for safety, what generated the changes was the death of Senna, with a little help from Ratzenberger.
Before their deaths there were those in the sport forcasting such disasters but they were ignored. Once someone so high profile as Senna was killed safety became important. The moves that were made to improve the safety aspects of the sport were on the table, with no input from either Mosley or Ecclestone, before the accidents. They were the ones that were put in place, with much fanfare, after the deaths. The people who created those blueprints, which have meant no further deaths of drivers, are the ones who deserve the praise and not those who took someone else's bolt and put it on the stable door and then suggested how clever they were.
jbudgie said:
Cant wait for him to go.
I can. There will be a huge power vacuum, with several hither unknown people popping out from the woodwork saying hoe they are the best for the sport (think accountants...)Unless the FIA get serious it'll be a real mess. I bet Ferrasi, Mclaren and red bull have already edcided who they want and its likely they will get their way with the others following/ setting up their own series
JonRB said:
Errrrr, eh? 
Oh, right, I see. If someone doesn't agree with you then you immediately switch to ad hominem attacks. I seem to recall you've done this before. Why don't you try growing up and engaging in adult debate?
I'm no longer surprised in the number of adults incapable of actually forming an argument, and discussing it. Oh, right, I see. If someone doesn't agree with you then you immediately switch to ad hominem attacks. I seem to recall you've done this before. Why don't you try growing up and engaging in adult debate?
JonRB said:
jbudgie said:
So Bernie is your God.
Errrrr, eh? Oh, right, I see. If someone doesn't agree with you then you immediately switch to ad hominem attacks. I seem to recall you've done this before. Why don't you try growing up and engaging in adult debate?
It's just an illogical conclusion.
Life is so much easier with simple hate figures.
Bernie has much to hate, a surfeit, but there is much to admire too, the teams would self-destruct if they were not controlled by a tyrant, he has to tyrannical to play on the same field and that is a persona, he has to be 'bigger' than all the teams combined, he is and many can't see why and just see the ego-mania.
When he started on his position he was no-where near as well known as the teams, he had an uphill struggle, but once on top he is the Ring Master, the circus plays his tune.
Something like Bahrain would have been a self-destructive event without him, with some teams going, some not, and there would be no 'championship' worth calling the name... and Bahrain type of events have been plentiful in the past.
Bernie has much to hate, a surfeit, but there is much to admire too, the teams would self-destruct if they were not controlled by a tyrant, he has to tyrannical to play on the same field and that is a persona, he has to be 'bigger' than all the teams combined, he is and many can't see why and just see the ego-mania.
When he started on his position he was no-where near as well known as the teams, he had an uphill struggle, but once on top he is the Ring Master, the circus plays his tune.
Something like Bahrain would have been a self-destructive event without him, with some teams going, some not, and there would be no 'championship' worth calling the name... and Bahrain type of events have been plentiful in the past.
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