Newsgroup: it.sport.formula1.moderato
Titolo: [ENG] Points should make prizes according to Ecclestone

Source: pitpass
http://www.pitpass.com/news2/news.cfm?newsid=7060
Points should make prizes according to Ecclestone
5-08-2003
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has told team bosses that drivers are no
longer 'incentivised' when they go racing, knowing that no matter where
they finish the pay cheque will still go into the bank at the end of the
month, or whenever.
Ecclestone is of the opinion that drivers such as Jacques Villeneuve -
reputedly the second highest paid driver in F1 - David Coulthard, Ralf
Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and even Michael Schumacher aren't really
earning their salaries and giving 110% week in, week out.
"I don't want gimmicks," says Ecclestone, according to The Times . "I am
looking for greater competition and I want drivers who want to compete,
and then we will all get the show we want. This sport isn't about team
owners playing games on a PlayStation. This is show-business and we have
to go racing at every grand prix."
As pitpass editor Chris Balfe points out in his ' open letter ' to Max
Mosley, until now it was not clear that the FIA President sees F1 as
'fashion', apparently Ecclestone regards the 'sport' as show-business.
Despite Max's recipe for a 'new improved F1', the 2003 season was slowly,
but surely, becoming another series of Sunday afternoon processions..
until lap 12 of the British Grand Prix.
"We can have racing," says Ecclestone. "What was the problem with the
racing at Silverstone? As soon as they all realised they could win or get
decent places, they all started overtaking. There has been too long when
the team manager calls drivers in and they expect to do their overtaking
in the pits, relying on stopping for eight seconds when the other guy
takes ten. They should do their overtaking on the track."
Clearly Ecclestone has spent little time talking to Max on this issue,
and far less time talking to 'man down the pub'.
"We have to stop taking and start giving something back to the public,"
he added, just two days after Luca di Montezemolo complained about the
extortionate sums fans were being asked to pay to attend races. "You
cannot take a championship medal and then say, 'that's it'. Look at the
people sitting in Hockenheim in 40-degree heat on Sunday. All they had to
look at from Formula One in the morning was the drivers' parade, 20
blokes on a lorry chatting and not even acknowledging the crowd. If they
don't in future, maybe we will have to fine them."
Ecclestone famously used the points-for-payment incentive scheme when he
owned Brabham. "When I had Nelson (Piquet), I told him he would get paid
when he got points," Ecclestone revealed. "It must have worked because he
didn't do too badly.
"Maybe instead of paying Michael Schumacher $60 million for a contract,
they should pay him $10 million every time he wins. The drivers should be
capable of motivating themselves but that doesn't always happen. It is
impossible to force the teams to do it, but we should think about paying
the drivers when they get points and not just hand out the big salaries
flying around at the moment."
Then again perhaps the fans and indeed the TV broadcasters, circuit
owners and sponsors could be encouraged to pay out when they feel they've
been given a decent show.
How about that Bernie?
p.s. Don't feel left out Bernie, editor Balfe sent you an ' open letter '
last September, round about the time you told F1 fans they weren't
watching F1 correctly.
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Copyright 2003 Pitpass.com
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 don't in future, maybe we will have to fine them."
Il problema è proprio questo : il pilota è da punire se non saluta il
pubblico... Palle !! Il pilota è da punire se non corre in pista. A me
personalmente le varie parate dei piloti, le conferenze stampa
obbligatorie e via dicendo sono sempre sembrati del tutto inutili, un
contorno senza che ci fosse un sostanzioso piatto a cui fare da
accompagnamento...
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