The FIA announced that it will postpone the recent World Motor Sport Council’s recent decision to in utilize a ‘winner-take-all’ scoring system to determine the World Drivers Championship. Why? FOTA reminded the FIA of its own regulations that render this decision as invalid.
The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) today anonounced that there is some concern over the validity of the ruling as the FIA Sporting Regulations prevent this type of change so close to the start of the season. Specifically referring to Appendix 5 of the Sporting Regulations and, as per the provisions of the article 199 of the FIA International Sporting Code, FOTA said they offered an alternative scoring system proposal that was rejected by the FIA.
The FIA quickly posted a Press Release on their site as this news made Max and the boys look like blabbering idiots by not knowing their own regulations. The FIA Press Release said that the FIA approved the “winner-takes-all” system upon the recommendation of the commercial rights holder, read Bernie Ecclestone, and that he was assured that all the teams were in favor of the change. This is complete bunk folks! FOTA, over a week ago, offered their recommendation for a new scoring system in which the points awarded would be changed to a 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 format. The Press Release seems to be attempting to exonerate both the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone of being errant of their own regulations and for acting as an 800lbs gorilla in ushering in Eccleston’s ‘Medal” idea without much thought or unanimous agreement with the teams.
Max is a smart guy and surely the FIA is aware of their own regulations about changes to the F1 Sporting and International Sporting codes. So who at the FIA thought that FOTA or some clever journalists would not read the code and announce the decision invalid? Max’s Press Release stating that Bernie was told all the teams were in favor of it is just nonsense when we all have it on record that FOTA wanted a different scoring system. This goes back to my entire diatribe:
A). If Max was aware of his own regulation and still ushered in the W-T-A format under the guise that Bernie said the teams wanted it…then he’s lying! He knew, as well as everyone else, that the teams proffered the 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 scoring system at least a wee or more in advance tot he WMSC’s vote.
B). If MAx was not aware of his own regulations preventing this type of decision from being made so close the season opening…then he’s clearly not the man for the job and incapable of carrying out his duties as the President of the FIA. Pure and simple.
Max and Bernie are trying desperately to hang on to the politics of the wedge that is growing between themselves on one side and FOTA, the fans and the sponsors on the other. Don’t forget that these two have made a living on F1 and they wrested control of F1 by organizing the teams as FOCA against FISA back in the 80’s. Karma, however, is a bitter pill to swallow and it just may be happening all over again but with the two of them playing the role of Jean-Marie Balestre.
The ‘winner-takes-all’ format was insulting…this is even more insulting!
