BernExit?

[novitopoli]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/127858/ecclestone-ousted-brawn-poised-for-new-role

Let's see what happens. I have the strange feeling we may miss him sooner than we think - hope to be proven wrong.

[Enforcer]

It's going to depend on whether his replacement(s) still like to do things like charge tracks so much for the privilege of running an F1 event that every penny they make on all their other races goes to the Formula One Group in order to have the Grand Prix.

That being said, doesn't Bernie have multiple roles in different commercial arms and companies around F1 that dismissing him as Chief Exec of Formula One Group mightn't necessarily remove him from the sport? Or did he rationalise everything into one company?

[sswishbone]

Well I am not surprised, his whole modus operand i would never make him play well with new bosses

[mario]

It's going to depend on whether his replacement(s) still like to do things like charge tracks so much for the privilege of running an F1 event that every penny they make on all their other races goes to the Formula One Group in order to have the Grand Prix.

That being said, doesn't Bernie have multiple roles in different commercial arms and companies around F1 that dismissing him as Chief Exec of Formula One Group mightn't necessarily remove him from the sport? Or did he rationalise everything into one company?

At the moment, it would seem that Bernie has an honorary role in F1 as “chairman emeritus”, indicating that he has a position in name only - his connections with his other subsidiary companies within the sport means that he might retain some vestigial role, but he seems to have been stripped of most of his authority now.

To a certain extent, his control over the sport had already been slipping for a while - I believe that CVC Partners used his legal troubles over his tax affairs to strip him of some of his positions with the subsidiary operating companies and to remove some of his decision making powers, so his position had been weakened in recent years.

As novitopoli notes though, I think that so many people are swept up in the moment in their relief to see him gone that they haven't yet asked too many questions about what will come next. Many celebrated Mosely's demise and thought that Todt would be a better figurehead, but we saw how the initial enthusiasm for Todt's leadership has vanished over time - similarly, there have been some hints from Liberty Media that they might continue with some of the policies that Bernie did, particularly with regards to pay TV. We will have to see how things play out, since there is no guarantee that things will definitely be better under Liberty Media just yet.

[WeirdKerr]

Bernie Ecclesgone

(stolen from facebook)

[RonDenisDeletraz]

In a weird way I almost find this dissapointing. I always expected Bernie not to go down with a massive fight, this just seems anticlimactic.

[Rob Dylan]

I'm glad to see he's finally going on the chance that the general direction of the sport will improve without him sticking his finger in every pie. Whilst I am fully aware he did a lot of good for Formula 1 and very much shaped the modern world of the sport, but he did so lining his own pockets at any and every opportunity. At his age it was inevitable that he was going to be replaced sooner or later - I can only hope his successors will at least move in a positive direction. I myself can't do anything so, like most F1 fans, I can only hope the new organisations in charge can make a positive difference.

[CoopsII]

[Ferrim]

I've just logged in to celebrate that I can finally change my signature, after so many years.

Cheers, guys.

[DanielPT]

As novitopoli notes though, I think that so many people are swept up in the moment in their relief to see him gone that they haven't yet asked too many questions about what will come next. Many celebrated Mosely's demise and thought that Todt would be a better figurehead, but we saw how the initial enthusiasm for Todt's leadership has vanished over time - similarly, there have been some hints from Liberty Media that they might continue with some of the policies that Bernie did, particularly with regards to pay TV. We will have to see how things play out, since there is no guarantee that things will definitely be better under Liberty Media just yet.

I sure am very happy to see him finally go. I was starting to worry that I would die of old age before Bernie could leave FOM power. Am I asking what comes next? No. Things can be worse? Of course. But you only know if you step into the unknown. I would compare this to a country living under a dictator not wanting him to go because a worse dictator might come in. "Nah, we just stick to the one we know and are forced to love."

[Waris]

Wow, amazing. F1 well and truly moves into the new era.
I don't even think it's a bad thing, I'm just a little incredulous. I really thought the only way Bernie was going to leave F1 was in a coffin, and now so quickly, just like that, boom, he's out.
Bernie can be credited for making the sport what it is today, prying it out of the hands of the FIA and the race promotors to (initially) make it more fair and equitable for the teams(!). But over time his reign turned into exactly what he used to fight against. His mindset seemed to be stuck in 1970s-1990s F1. Therefore I think this will be a good chance. Although what with Zak Brown taking over at McLaren, it really feels a bit like the Americans are invading...

[CoopsII]

I really thought the only way Bernie was going to leave F1 was in a coffin,.

Me too. I wouldn't go as far as saying I feel a bit sorry for him but when you're Bernie Ecclestone, 86 years old and out of a job just what do you do with the few years you have left?

[Barbazza]

I'd say that all the right things are being said at the moment regarding the 'heritage' races though there is a - perhaps unsurprising - comment about building up the fanbase in the US which to my mind is hinting at more than one race there. I think it's a good thing that Bernie has gone, the time was right.

What I would like to see as well as some changes in current F1 is some sense regarding the archive. Whether it's via Youtube, an online archive that is either free or subscription, I don't really care, but the lack of access to old races at the moment is just stupid. Even Sky in the off-season when they have plenty of time to do so aren't bothering to show any old races!

[Aislabie]

I reckon that it'd be good to open up the market for non-Championship F1 races, with teams allowed to enter as many or as few cars as they like, with relaxed restrictions on stuff like superlicences. Perhaps if there were a non-Championship race at Mugello, you could see Ferrari send Jean-Eric Vergne, Antonio Giovinazzi and Raffaele Marciello, Toro Rosso get Pierre Gasly into a race seat.

Similarly, a non-Championship contest somewhere in the UK could give all those teams a chance to try out their young drivers in race trim. And because I really like short circuits, it'd be fun to see F1 cars blasting around the Norisring, or the Oasis Circuit in Bahrain.

It'd also be a good place to try out new regulations, stuff like the disaster of elimination qualifying, or shorter race distances, stuff like that. And it could help to ease calendar congestion by capping the Championship calendar at 16 races, with others as non-Championship events.

The Monaco Grand Prix, strange anachronism that it is, would be perfect as a stand-alone event.

[Paul Hayes]

The new chap in charge certainly seems to have the most incredible moustache this side of the 19th century.

[CoopsII]

The new chap in charge certainly seems to have the most incredible moustache this side of the 19th century.

"Hey, Paul! Vot about me?"

[mario]

As novitopoli notes though, I think that so many people are swept up in the moment in their relief to see him gone that they haven't yet asked too many questions about what will come next. Many celebrated Mosely's demise and thought that Todt would be a better figurehead, but we saw how the initial enthusiasm for Todt's leadership has vanished over time - similarly, there have been some hints from Liberty Media that they might continue with some of the policies that Bernie did, particularly with regards to pay TV. We will have to see how things play out, since there is no guarantee that things will definitely be better under Liberty Media just yet.

I sure am very happy to see him finally go. I was starting to worry that I would die of old age before Bernie could leave FOM power. Am I asking what comes next? No. Things can be worse? Of course. But you only know if you step into the unknown. I would compare this to a country living under a dictator not wanting him to go because a worse dictator might come in. "Nah, we just stick to the one we know and are forced to love."

True, it is the case that change is necessary - however, there is also the risk that people may let themselves be caught up in the excitement of some fairly tepid announcements, all told, which results in unrealistic expectations and something of a hard comedown afterwards, and I am concerned that might happen. It is not to say that there are potential causes for optimism, rather that it is better to temper that optimism until we have a clearer picture of what comes next.