In a controversial move the World Wrestling Entertainment (formely WWF) is buying the rights to F1!
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience.
Really?? A company which is notorious for rigging matches, and deciding a winner before the match, is taking over F1??
No. As always I am trying to put you into a frame of thought. Lately 2 things happened which completely made me shout out “Rigged!!” And no, I am not talking about the US elections where Trump tried to pre-cover up a defeat. (and on this side of the pond Trump wouldn’t even have gotten close to election), Alas, if only the leader of the free world was chosen by the free world, and not a subset of it?! I am getting side-tracked.
I am talking about Mercedes’ interest in Bottas and the returning of the French GP at Paul Ricard.
To start with the last: not that the location of Paul Ricard would be a nuisance: it is closer to what I call home than Magny-Cours. I have never even seen the Paul Ricard circuit, so it might even be a nice track.
No, what bothers what really bothers the freakin crap out of me, is that it is Ecclestone’s track. He bought it in 1999, and even back then he already mentioned that he wanted to organize the French GP there. At first this didn’t work out, as we all know, since the French GP has been organized on Magny-Cours until 2008. But now he got his wish.. How much money does Bernie need to make?
The track will probably be sold to either the French state or an investor in the coming time, but you can imagine the circuit’s price tag will be much more interesting now the French GP is organized on it. Why o why is it necessary to pull this sort of stuff? Why would Bernie even need this? He already is rich as Croesus? Why even go near this clear conflict of interest?
Which brings me to part 2. Mercedes’ interest in Bottas. In my last article I already mentioned that as formula 1 pilot, I do not hold him in high esteem. Yes, he beat Massa 4:17 in qualifying for the 2016 season. Yes, Bottas’ 85 points are more then Massa’s 53. But Massa already had 1 foot out of the door.. Not comparable IMNSHO.
Mercedes has set their mind to Bottas. The only reason which springs to mind is at Toto Wolff manages and Mercedes, and Bottas. Wolff already said “there is no conflict of interest, since there is no hands-on involvement in the driver’s career”. Eh.. This sounds like a Bill Clinton saying something like “Well, I smoked pot, but I did not inhale”. If only we were gullible enough to believe.
Again, why o why do we need this kind of conflict of interest. “Driver development programs” are bad enough without team principals getting into driver management as well. How much money does Wolff need to make?
The sport would feel so much better if things like these are avoided. F1 drivers could be selected for their skill, not for “development programs” or “well connected management teams”.
This sport is RIGGED!!
But I am planning a revolution (mwahaha, F1 will be mine!!), so watch this spot.
I really am in two minds whether to laugh or cry..
How much leadership did Obama provide? You’ve read or listened to too much US media about Trump. Also, the USA doesn’t get to choose your leaders. C’est la something of other. Bernie, well, Bernie is Bernie, and BOY, is he Bernie! Bottas…not goin’ there. Seems like a nice enough guy to me, from thousands of miles away, so what do I know
This ain’t the place, but…
1. Leadership is in the eye of the beholder. You ask the right person and you’ll get the answer you’re looking for.
2. Ubiquitous information choke points / filters like Facebook and Google mean that regardless of the nationality of the media source you choose, you are constantly surrounded by stories that are chosen by algorithm based on your previous search history to keep you hanging around to see the adverts . The holy grail of these curated environments is to create a downward information spiral that finishes up your own butt. Try filter-bubble-free duckduckgo.
3. The USA has “chosen” quite a number of leaders in a substantial number of countries to further the economic interests of particular deep-pocketed corporate political donors. Rarely has it ended well for the civilian population or for the financial / sovereign independence of the countries involved.
…or something…
thats why i always get these messages of young, hot russian girls who eagerly await my presence. and for free! 😀
that’s a joke, btw. anyone who knows me knows i dont care about nationality. unless they are Dutch. or Turkish. or Aussie. or American. or Belgian. or German. or French. or Polish. or British. or Guatemalan. or Zimbabwean.
The Congo is your fault because you like planes.
It is. And I humbly apologise
Keep your imperialist mea culpa to yourself. There shall be no Colony set up here at TJ13. Vote ‘leave’ on #TJ13exit.
I can’t help it. White privilege was forced upon me
Good comment.
Bit sensitive?
Well, Obama at least didn’t start talking about his Buenos Aires Obama-Tower when he got his congratulatory phonecall from the Argentinian president.
But we ze french, have chosen multiple presidents which have been “grabbin zem by ze poussy”. So in some respect you are following our example.
When I read the headline I thought it said “WTF1 buys F1” lmfoa 🙂
In regards to M-B and Bottas. The question you have to ask is who would be the best and most available driver right now even if Wolff has no management interest in Bottas. I think that getting Vettel, Alonso or Riccardo out of their current contracts was never going to happen, and quite likely Vettel or Riccardo have no interest in going to M-B now anyway. Wehrlein is too inexperienced and jeopardizes the constructors WC like Kovalainen did at McLaren. Realistically you have Bottas, Perez or Sainz. Force India would look really stupid letting Perez go and taking on Wehrlein , even with all the goodies M-B can throw them, just after they declined to sign Wehrlein. Red Bull have in Sainz a driver they can move from Toro Rosso to Red Bull if Riccardo decides to leave after 2017. And that leaves Bottas. Not something Williams would really want to do, especially with young Stroll joining. But Williams likely can leverage Bottas to get a lot of cash / development / other help from M-B to offset the points loss they will invariably have. I think Bottas fits the M-B bill now even if Wolff wasn’t a part of his management.
Bottas is the smart choice, MB would be stupid to pay big money to get Riccardo, Alonso or Vettel and piss off #44 again by giving him competition. They really need a Barrichello/Irvine to just collect points and watch Dan and Max stealing points off each other while #44 sails off into the distance.
The fan in me wants to see fireworks though and really wants to see Alonso there so we have an actual 4 way fight for the championship, possibly 5 if Ferrari can give Vettel a proper car next year…
Also as for the conflict of interest, is everyone forgetting Alonso/Briatore/Renualt?? And wasn’t Trulli managed by Briatore until he booted him from Renault, ohh and Piquet Jnr??
Add Mark Weber and Heikki Kovalainen to the list while he was boss at Renault.
Briatore.. don’t get me started on him. When he started talking about Alonso’s contract, the only thing I could think of was that Briatore once put his willy (not talking Weber nor Wonka) into a dolly, which resulted in a baby. Briatore then rescinded his paternity.. (not part of the contract?) If you don’t have honour, what worth does paper have?
Keeping that in mind, I never take anything Briatore has to say seriously. However, when Alonso repeated that he would stay at McLaren: I take that as dead serious.
Crashgate made an end to Briatore’s shady career, wich started selling insurance at the end of the 70-ies, beginning of the 80-ies, and a stint in jail in the 80-ies. Haven’t missed him much.
So let me get a few things straight….
#1 Hosting a Formula 1 race increases a race tracks value and sellability?? That’s news to me, and I imagine is a comment that would make most international circuit owners have a laugh.
#2 Bernie is going to get richer selling race hosting fees to himself? That’s after 65%+ of those fee’s go to the F1 teams? What other French track and local governments have stepped up to the plate to host a French GP? Nothing since 2008 now. You chastise Bernie for putting together the return of the oldest GP around? Ridiculous.. I suppose it’s better we cancel the return because of who owns the track..
#3 “The track will probably be sold…” based on what? What warrants the author here to make such a claim? Just seems like a vindictive attempted slight more than anything.
#4 Does the author suggest Bottas isn’t one of the best viable options for Mercedes? If Bottas was crap, then ok, one can call such a potential move fishy. However over the last 2 seasons both Ferrari and Renault have had serious considerations for his services, and Williams has no desire to let him go. Sounds like a warranted request by Toto and Co. to me.. And wouldn’t corporate Mercedes be more concerned of such a potential conflict? Obvious they understand the main motive. If Mercedes was to pass on Bottas simply because he was tied to Wolff’s management company, that would be a vastly greater injustice. I also would doubt Mercedes would pay Bottas much more than Williams is now, so I’d question how much extra it would stuff Toto’s wallet with dollar bills.
Just because I am a grumpy b*stard, I need to answer… I probably shouldn’t, as I should take a little more time for a next article (and do some more research >;-)
#1 have a look at the sellability of the circuit of Reims (Gueux / Marne)
#2 if Bernie couldn’t make it work for himself (knowing all ins and outs), how would he be able to sell his product internationally? Chastise Bernie: you are right, I am not good enough to do this. Maybe we should call Max Mosley: an expert in SM. But somebody better chastise that little frog: he has been torturing us for years.
#3 why are you so vindictive towards me? This actually was the product of well-planned, thorough, non-thoughtful thumb-sucking.
#4 yada, yada, blah-bottas-blah. I can’t read your comments because I don’t have a computer.
I’d sooner look at the state of recently active tracks, and see absolutely no example of how hosting a Grand Prix makes selling a race track any easier. In most cases it has shown to be a burden. Who is lining up to buy auto racing tracks period?
I’m vindictive because what you wrote is largely the same, and is mostly none sense from what I can see. You are just using a media outlet as a way to grind an axe.