On other topics he said medals were not the answer to the overtaking problem and rather seemed to blame the team engineers, who sat on an overtaking working group and came up with the aero rules we have for this year, which he now feels will not improve overtaking. Max feels that slipstreaming is the answer and is getting his people to look further into moveable aerodynamics on the car which allow the car behind to be faster than the car in front by virtue of being ‘towed’.
He said that Jean Todt’s Ferrari contract expires in March and that will mean he loses his seat on the world council, to be replaced by another Ferrari representative (Ferrari get the seat by virtue of having been in F1 the longest). He does not think that Todt will run for FIA president, because he would not want to do so intensive a job unpaid, as the rules insist.
On customer cars he said that as far as the FIA is concerned they are eligible to race this year and said that both Toro Rosso and Force India are expected to field ‘customer cars’ but pointed out that there was some dispute about whether they would qualify as constructors for a share of the TV money.
On the fallout from last year’s sex scandal he said that he is now virtually certain who set him up, implied that it was someone in F1 and said that he is waiting for final conclusive proof before he acts. He did not rule out legal action.
On prospects for this season, he said, “I suspect that McLaren has done a very thorough job in all areas, especially KERS (a system developed by Mercedes at a cost of £70 million) If I were Lewis Hamilton I think I would be very happy to be driving for McLaren this year, they are going to be very strong. “
Honda’s chances of being on the grid in Australia he rates at 70%, suggesting that it was now a question of the negotiations between the team management and the board of the main company.
And finally he spoke about Donington and hopes for the British Grand Prix. There have been more stories recently about Donington struggling for funding and asked whether he would insist on a move back to Silverstone if the stories proved true he said that the FIA has a duty to protect the classic races, but if Bernie Ecclestone presented a calendar without a British GP he could not insist on there being one if the commercial terms on offer were clearly inferior to the going rate being offered by other countries. Having said that he did describe the UK as “the home of Grand Prix racing”, so he will no doubt be reminded of that if and when Britain loses its race.
The British GP has been on the calendar since the start of Formula 1 in 1950, as has the Italian GP. It’s interesting that Mosley accepts that Ferrari gets special treatment from the FIA world council and FOM in recognition of the fact that it has been there since the start, but the races do not. Heritage is important, but only up to a point.
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is it just me that thinks a non-technical person should not be involved in deciding the technical rules of a sport?
for example, moveable aero. a very complex solution to a very easy problem. slipstreaming was par for the course with older non-downforce cars, because without wings you aren’t reliant on aero. as soon as you have downforce, it’s a disadvantage following another car, instead of an advantage, which is what you need for good racing. if moveable flaps have already been slated to fail for this year, why would going further with the idea change anything?
and why is max saying that electrical KERS systems are not suitable for F1 when several manufacturers have opted for this solution as the best choice? also, to give this as one of the few areas initally available for future performance differentiation, then to propose standardised systems after everyone has gone off and put money into research of their own systems…
A nice insight there James, but what did Mr Mosley have for lunch…?
I have to agree with john g that [non-technical person should not be involved in deciding the technical rules of a sport?] (The same rules go pro-rata for race stewards)
However aero will probably not be banned as he hints he wishes. But movable aero can make an enormous difference, allowing slipstreaming (assuming the leading car had its rear wing lowered to reduce drag). The movable elements could then be used to assist braking by increasing both drag and grip.
(I will admit that it will take lots more money to make flaps that wont fall off, but then a lot of aeroplanes manage it)
Electrical KERS is more likely to translate onto road cars than mechanical, obviously in a much modified form, it would be a pity if Max used his influence to knock this development on the head AFTER so much money has already been spent on it. It would also be a great mistake to stop brake system development. (there look I never mentioned abs!)
A major part of the necessary funding for Donnington is to pay Bernie, who may come back in the autumn and say “No I dont like it.” (The local planning committee have already said it lacks ambition and foresight)
I was surprised that Max said that the FIA had a duty to preserve classic races, since Bernie obviously thinks the venues are entirely his to bless or reject.
Ok James what was the bill? Who had a starter AND a sweet? Who ordered the most expensive dish? Did Max pay or the FIA?
Whilst the post may be unpaid is it on full expenses?
JA writes: Well, seeing as you asked, KT530 (sounds like a type of motorbike) … Max had some scallops in breadcrumbs with tartare sauce. He only ever eats a starter at these lunches, never drinks wine, waves away the main course and the dessert and finishes off with an espresso.
As for the comment about him being a non-technical person, I have to say that he has Peter Wright (ex Lotus engineer) and Tony Purnell working behind the scenes as technical consultants and don’t forget that Charlie Whiting is in the office next door to Max in Monaco.
Many of these ideas are theirs and the notion of non-compete areas, which I think is the answer to cost containment (as long as it doesn’t go too far) was Purnell’s idea.
[...] Lunch with Max Mosley…a busy year ahead [...]
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Force India is building its own chassis, you probably ment Toro Rosso and Super Aguri. By departure of later customer chassis affect only Toro Rosso
A recent article in Autosport, an interview with Max Mosley about KERS, re-enforces my feelings about him. here is a quote:
Q. Mario Theissen said at the BMW Sauber launch that he felt the flywheel system had no application for the road car industry, and said he wasn’t interested…
MM: Well, he probably hasn’t thought it through. He would be right if there were battery/super capacitor combinations that were very close to being practical – but all the information is that there isn’t. All these cars – you get these electric cars but if you drive them fast they just don’t have the energy. Good old Mario, but I think he may have got that wrong.
So max knows more about road cars than Mario Theissen? OK…
he also admits that it’s the FIA’s regulations that have forced teams to spend vast amounts of money chasing diminishing returns in areas unimportant outside of the sport (and with a ban on engine development i can’t see how that isn’t continuing) and also that the regulations for this year are wrong with regard to tyre widths.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73208