The British and the French signed an entente cordial way back in 1904 which was designed to improve the historical poor relationship between their people. Yet the spirit of competition between the nations has grown stronger over the years as the Gallic country set out on a project to build a European federation of states.

Eventually the British decided they’d had enough of the top down micro management from Strasbourg and Brussels and in 2016 decided to rid themselves of the technocrats who rule with impunity and manage their own affairs instead. Whether this decision was successful or not has been clouded by a global pandemic and then a cost of living crisis forced upon the world as Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine.

 

 

 

Smaller is better?

The British are often known as a ‘nation of shopkeepers’ given their preference to work in smaller units of collaboration rather than for faceless conglomerates with executives making decisions remote from the point of delivery. 

By way of contrast the big beasts of Europe love their grand institutions and corporations and this contrast in approach found its way into top level European motorsports in the middle of the 20th century.

Enzo Ferrari coined the term “Garagistes” as a derogatory term referring to the likes of Cooper and Lotus who bought off the shelf engines (usually a Climax) and mated it to a Hewland gearbox and away they went. The full term used by the founder of Ferrari was “Garagiste! Assembliatore,” meaning that teams did little more than assemble their cars in garages.

As the age of innovation arrived in Formula One, the garagistes looked for ways to beat the might of the European giant auto manufacturers. Switching there heavy engines from the front of the car to the rear was something Enzo was scathing about., stating “the horse should pull the car, not push it.”

Red Bull accuses Ferrari/McLaren of cheating

 

 

 

Daimler-Benz refused to interfere in Mercedes AMG F1

As Colin Chapman began to develop aerodynamic concepts to improve the performance of his lotus cars, Enzo again mocked the Englishman’s efforts claiming, “Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines.”

Yet F1 history shows the garagistes were right to challenge the established norms and their nimble outfits were quick to switch strategies and designs without interference from corporate managers who were far removed from the racing. 

Today seven of the ten Formula One teams are based in the English motorsport corridor and a re-organisation over the winter of the Faenza based team has seen many of their operations moved to their base in the UK.

Mercedes eight year’s of dominance may be cited as a return of the German auto manufacturer might to Formula One, yet the team was never controlled from Stuttgart as the Daimler-Benz executives realised the Brackley outfit was better suited to managing its own affairs locally.

Team with huge lap time upgrade

 

 

 

Chaos at Alpine

We turn to the thorny topic of Renault’s involvement in Formula One. The French auto giant has vacillated between being just an engine supplier and owning a works team. Of course when branded as Renault in 2005/6 the Enstone based team won both world titles in each of the years with Spaniard Fernando Alonso at the wheel.

Yet the vast majority of the French company’s success in Formula One came as just an engine supplier winning 10 of their 12 constructor titles in this fashion and 9 of their 11 drivers championships too.

Having been found to be cheating in Singapore 2008, Renault sold the Enstone team only to buy it back again in 2016. Then the French corporation decided to rebrand the F1 outfit as Alpine in 2021 and today the team is something of a laughing stock within the sport.

A mass clear out of senior personnel last season saw bruno Famin take charge of Alpine, despite having almost zero experience in Formula One. The 2024 car is still overweight and when the FIA shut down engine development year on year, the Renault power unit was locked in with around 40BHP less than their rivals.

Marko SHOCK revelation over Perez exit clause – 3 races!

 

 

 

Corporate U-Turns affect F1 teams performance

Following the first lap collision in Monaco this year between Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, Famin went live on French TV ranting about his driver’s error and threatening consequences would follow. 

Even when Mercedes were struggling to manage battling drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, the relatively inexperienced Toto Wolff would take the on track blue on blue disasters behind closed doors and not call out his drivers in public.

The problem for the Enstone F1 team and the power unit supplier in Viry, is that executives at the top of the Renault auto manufacture insist on being involved in the day to day running of the team. This just does not work, but Gallic pride does not allow them to let go.

Honda have experienced similar difficulties with their ‘in and out’ of F1 U-Turns and ahead of their future partnership with Aston Martin coming in 2026, the executives in Japan have realised they need to relinquish control. The following announcement was made on March 29th this year.

Russell on notice as Mercedes finds fatal flaw

 

 

 

Honda executives no longer involved in F1

“Honda Racing Corporation UK is a new company founded to primarily perform post-race maintenance and preparation tasks on the Honda-built F1 power units. HRC UK will also operate as logistics operation for the European region. We will further enhance the effectiveness of Honda PU operations, in support of our partnership with the Aston Martin F1,” the statement concluded.

“A new corporate organisation has been established to carry out Formula 1 activities, which is very significant,” HRC president Koji Watanabe elaborated.

Clearly ridding themselves of Otmar Szafnaeur and other senior personnel in August last year has been a failure for Alpine and Famin’s outburst in Monaco has made the team the laughing stock of the paddock.

Breaking news ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix sees the architect of Renaults cheating in Singapore 2008 appointed as an advisor to the team. Given Flavio Briatore’s personality his role will presumably be similar to that of Dr. Helmut Marko who speaks his mind at will.

FIA facing pressure over Monaco GP

 

 

 

Briatore recruitment “absurd”

Edd Straw of the race has called the Renault decision “absurd” and even though 15 years have passed since the Singapore scandal, Briatore brings a whiff of corruption along with him, which is not good for the optics of the team.

The Italian does have extensive commercial connections and the real reason behind his appointment appears to be to sell the failing F1 outfit, despite the repeated denials from Renault that this is their intention.

“The only possible logic for bringing in Briatore in this role is as the facilitator of a sale. Disconnect the team from Viry (which has a role to play still in the wider Renault Group), leave the F1 team as its own separate and easily sellable entity and potentially even throw in your unconvincing Alpine car brand with it,” writes Straw.

Yet the decision reflects poorly on the crumbling reputation in the F1 paddock, yet clearly the executives at Renault like Luca De Leo have finally realised the top down corporate style management of an F1 team just does not work. 

Whilst the days of the Garagistes are long gone, the principles of running an effective motor racing team remain the same. Let those who know best – do the do – and not receive interference form those on high who don’t.

Mercedes sabotaging Hamilton’s car email

 

 

 

Sainz announced as Williams’ drive

This year was always set to be a big moment in the F1 driver market with thirteen of the current crop out of contract t by the end of the season. Throw into the mix the bombshell dropped by Lewis Hamilton pre-season which revealed in 2025 he would become a Ferrari pilot and we were set for the silliest of silly seasons.

The vacant seat at Mercedes would once have been a lure for anyone in the sport, but their poor form this year and general lack of competitiveness since the 2022 ground effect car design rules were implemented, meant the stampede to Toto Wolff’s door never occurred… READ MORE