The New Bernie?

[Asp]

From planet-f1

Gerhard Berger's contract with BMW ends in August and he's given the team hints that he might not continue. So is he thinking of a much bigger job...?
"The car manufacturers know that Bernie is no longer 20 years old - they want to have certainty about the future," he said. "They want to know how a successor is being organised. They want to be certain that the money doesn't disappear which would lead to a situation where the manufacturers are urging for more control."
"We would then have a group in charge of the sport with every member pursuing their own goals. The interests of BMW are different to those of Mercedes. Everyone will look after himself."
"Toyota will be in a different position to Mercedes and Ferrari will pull in another direction. Everyone will do their best to influence the rulemaking to achieve success for his own team."
"I have seen the same situation in touring cars. One manufacturer has front wheel drive another has rear wheel drive; one wants to add 10 kilos at the front, the other 40 kilo at the back. It's difficult to predict how the thing is handled when manufacturers have power."
So instead of having a group of individuals, all with ties to their own manufacturer, a single, independent voice might be best. Berger may be employed by BMW right now, but only Michael Schumacher has driven more races for Ferrari.

The article, in essence, ays that Berger may be the best man for the job as he has worked for all 3 top teams + some more in that past - so as no hidden agenda. I say that he's quite a good candidate on the face of things - certainly young enough to lead F1 for about 20 years when (or maybe if? ) Bernie retires.

[Red]

I honestly hope no!! I like Berger, he was a good driver (not the best though), he was also a good show-man (that's a minus) but I do strongly doubt his managerial/leader skills. As a matter of facts, love him or hate him, but Bernie is unique. Few (if any) have a longer F1 history. And what troubles me is that actually he is no longer in his 20s. And that really worries me. There isn't a viable successor, and I'm very much afraid that a bunch of accountants (that is, not 1-one, a board of them unable to make decissions all by themselves) will be in charge. And THEN start crying that F1 is dead.

(as a matter of facts, I really wonder if Bernie is still in command. Given the abberations from the last several months.)

[Liz]

Bernie (1) with a sense of humour (2) who doesn't worship TGF?

He's got my vote!

[Russfeld]

That'd be a joke. being the figurehead for a company that desperately wants to be in F1 is one thing, running an entire international series is another.


And before anyone else says it, no Brundle isnt qualified either

[Logrence]

Me! I'll do it!

[ParkLife]

People often talk about Bernies successor, but how will it actully work?

Will Bernie still own SLEC, and the successor will be an employee?

Will SLEC be donated to this successor?

Will the successor be required to buy SLEC (so to speak)?

Will the successor set up their own company and the F1 rights get transferred from SLEC to this new company?

[Asp]

Well, SLEC hold the rights the broadcast F1 for something like the next 99 years, so I doulbt that the rights will be transferred.
I imagine Bernie will stay involved until his death, even though someone will obviously take over well before then. Perhaps he may leave SLEC to the person it's named after, wife Slav Ecclestone.
I feel, however, that we shall never know until the time comes for Bernie to retire and find a successor to run F1.

[Lee Janotta]

When Bernie croaks or retires, he'll leave an enormous power vacuum, and he's not going to make any moves to fill it. He thinks he's going to live forever.

I _still_ say Hans Joachim Stuck for FIA President. He's got brass ones the size of melons, he's a true racer, he's done rallying, endurance racing, touring cars, and F1, and he's driven for many manufacturers in his career (Audi, Porsche, BMW, Ford and Alfa-Romeo just off the top of my head).

[ParkLife]

I would imagine FIA president is not nearly as difficult a position to fill.

[Sodemo]

I'd much rather see Berger take Max's position at the FIA, he knows exactly what the drivers want, slicks, nice cars to drive etc.

[RWC]

**** ANYBODY could do either job!!

[ASCII Man]

No, i wouldn't trust Charlie Manson to do that job...

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Logrence
Me! I'll do it!

Me too!!

[Adam43]

Is this a sign that we have to put up with endless, baseless speculation on what Berger is going to do?

I'm not sure Berger would want it (this is baseless speculation ). He seems to laid back for it.

[Nicholas]

This has just reminded me - isn't Max going to go in the next couple of years?

[Logrence]

We could have a Berniestars competition on the telly, and people from all over the world audition and have to show how menacing and powerful they are, whilst simultaneously juggling fire and dancing on hot coals! The winner gets a years contract with SLEC...killer idea!

[Nicholas]

Who would judge? Anne Robinson, Simon Cowell, Jacques Villeneuve, Eddie Irvine...

[Asp]

Originally posted by nicholaswhite
This has just reminded me - isn't Max going to go in the next couple of years?

He has said he is not going to stand re-election to be FIA president when the electons come around in 2/3 years. Last year he nominated Alan Donnelly as his 'official representive' - ex MEP with quite a lot of credentials. This was announced at Imola to much surprise, and there was a lot of gossip as to his 'real' purpose- and the idea is that he is being groomed by Max to take over the presidency. Of course, as ever, we will see!

[golem]

I, personally, don't see a need to worry. All that money he's been draining from F1 is actually funding a secret technologies base which is currently being fired up and will suck the lifeblood from viewers. The initial Pay TV F1 arrangement was a test run and it proved unable to provide enough souls. So they're hoping to integrate the soul stealing technology into PC's. Apparantly B.Gates is interested in integrating it into the next Windows in exchange for a 55% cut on the souls.

This is not speculation. Beware the PC with 'satan inside' on the box... Intel's supplying the hardware for all this.

[Nicholas]

They could put the "Berniestars" competition on Bernievision to fill up spare air time between races.