A few days in Paris

So we go further into uncharted territory after another dramatic day at the FIA. Now there is a president in charge who has been opposed by more than 50 clubs and who has acknowledged that he cannot fulfill the functions of his office.

It is going to be interesting to see how this develops, especially in Formula One where Mosley is very short of friends. I heard Eddie Jordan on BBC radio arguing on Tuesday night that, having won his vote of confidence, Mosley will most likely stand down sometime soon. Jordan's argument was that he has made his point and can now go with some dignity and so on. I must admit my reading of the situation is a little different, partly because Mosley's people keep telling me that there is "a very long way to go" in this saga and partly because I get the sense that Mosley wants to take this to the limit in every way.

Anyway I leave Paris today for Montreal after an eventful stay. Some of you were interested in the dinner I attended on Monday night just round the corner from the FIA HQ given by Richard Woods with eight other British hacks. Of course it was an off-the-record evening in which there was a good deal of merriment and general speculative nonsense talked. At one point we all had to say whether we thought Mosley would survive and I got into a lot of trouble for changing my mind. I can't remember which way round I started with but I think the overall result was 5:4 in favour of him staying(which shows how much some misread Mosley's vulnerability in his own "house" so to speak). Woods got in trouble too by saying that he would "abstain" which of course meant a vote against, which he did not intend.

So we spent another day outside the FIA in Paris, "door-stepping" the imposing address on Place de la Concorde, awaiting word of the weighty deliberations inside while the cars whizzed past behind us. Sometimes we get rained on or cooked; this time the weather was pleasant. Often the locals stop to ask what the fuss is all about. Last year we used to say that it was about a Formula One team that was accused of cheating and the Parisians would generally look pretty unimpressed. This year we were able to tell them it was about Max Mossley(French pronounciation) who was fighting for his job after revelations about his private life. Again a Gallic shrug, a look of incomprehension and off they go...

There is always a constant buzz of expectation as paddock journalists gather from all over the globe plus a few news correspondents as well. Last year I was well and truly "done" by the lads when I sneaked off for a steak and chips at midday and was just about to get stuck in, when texts came through telling me Ron was on his way out. I duly woolfed my lunch only to dash back to find no change and plenty of laughter. This year we waited and waited and then suddenly a Swiss president emerged and got into his waiting car, spilling the beans on the vote as he did so. Then it was a case of "catch a president" as they came thick and fast, most of them trying to avoid contact with journalists. The most vocal were the ones from the big clubs who opposed Mosley. After a while it was quite hard to tell who were presidents and who were passers-by. Anyone in a suit who was male and over a certain age, was fair game. An hour of this and in the back of my mind I could hear the Private Eye editor's admonishment..."that's enough presidents, Ed"

All the presidents seemed to be men. I think there are a couple of female heads of member clubs but the EGM seemed to be ovewhelmingly male. One wonders(as Stella on this blog) what the result might have been had half the contingent been female. The FIA seems a very male-dominated organisation; maybe it is time it put some effort into making it more reflective of the world we live in, in this respect, if not in many others.

I gotta go to CDG...

Comments

[Keith]

Did you get any idea of how the different motor clubs voted? It would be interested to know who voted for him.

[D]

^
The menu, man, the menu!

You've lost track of the priorities. And in Paris, of all places!

Bon voyage,

PS. Any chance you could post a stub for us to start considering Montréal on, in the meantime? We all (except Jo J) need a good, refreshing dose of Formula One to cleanse our souls.

[Ray]

I would like to nominate Danica Patrick for FIA president, just as soon as Max gets his reality check.

[Derek Smith]

As you say, Ed: it is time [the FIA] put some effort into making it more reflective of the world we live in

Derek

[IDR]

Ed,

Thanks for this. Great article.

And as you do in sport's threads, you are giving us some vision of the backstage of being journalist.

I liked so much your expression "I could hear the Private Eye editor's admonishment..."that's enough presidents, Ed"

Anyway, I'm afraid that despite is enough presidents for you, there won't be enough Moselyitis.

Take care and have a nice flight to Montreal.

ps: Pitpass is naming you quite often.

Some weeks ago, Ed Gorman and the Fleet Street boys.

Yesterday... "The moral indignants".

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me there is some jealousy!

If you want to, send them my regards... from your blog, not their's.

[Damon - Birmingham]

IDR

As I said on the "Mosley Wins The Day" thread the fact that Ed is getting slated on Pitpass is a good thing as I'm concerned. If you want to really find out what the Editor of that site is like ask him why the user known as "Kelpin" (my username on that Forum) was banned after the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix. I must warn you however that you'll probably be IP blocked from his site!

[Scott Cheadle, Zurich]

Ed a question how do you see your future in F1 journalism develop?

Will you be back to report on sailing any time soon?

[Phil H]

Ed, did I see you moonlighting on Sky News reporting on this yesterday? Or was that someone who looked similar to you?

And can we please get back to the racing business now? This whole saga is turning into a bit of a farce now. Montreal predictions anyone?

[Anon (the real one)]

OK.

Max Mosley won. We thought he would lose with certitude, and he won. He deserves his victory (despite incessant pandering from some who smelt the blood oh too well). He is the FIA president, and there is nothing we can do about it.

Let's move on.

In one day and 14 hours (when I started writing this post) the first practice session of the Canadian Grand Prx at the Gilles Villeneuve will take place.

McLaren-Mercedes are closer than we think in this title hunt. They are 16 points behind Ferrari. Still big, but they are not there yet.

Hamilton has a three point lead over Raikkonen, four points over Massa, and six over Kubica.

Last year, this was a McLaren track. They locked out the front row in qualifying and would have done much of the same in the race if not for the misfortunes and driving of Alonso.

BMW came in a strong second place, outscoring Ferrari. Heidfeld outqualified and outraced both of them. BMW qualfied 3rd and 8th. Expect them to be strong. Kubica had a crash here, but when looks at the accident one realizes that it could have been ignited by any circuit. If Heidfeld (more on his problems below) manages to bring back form, he cold win. I say this because he always starts with more fuel than anybody else. If a safety car period (and they are frequent in Canada) were to occur at around the laps when people normally pit, we may see Heidfeld win. But if BMW pace is good, it might be Kubica as well.

Ferrari did poorly last year, failing to put one pilot on podium, something they will certainly imrpove on this year. Raikkonen outqualified outraed Massa here (for him to ouqualify Massa means something).

So, the order should stay about the same. Ferrari notably improved in Monaco, but they admitted to having studied this circuit particularly. They must not have liked taking a one-two in front of the richest crowd of F1.

Ferrari are better this year and much more imressive, being bullet-proof and fast. It is interesting to see how McLaren holds on in home territory.

Race preds?

Hamilton
Kubica
Raikkonen
Kovalainnen
Massa
Heidfeld

seems to be all right.

Now,a few notabl driers.

Alonso- needs a srong race to show his Monaco incident was just a laughable gaffe and not a serious mistake coming off of a mental weakness of sort.

Piquet- tie is running very short. Renault have bee saying that they are trying to make Piquet be more confident in himself. One can sure say he was confident coming into this season, not as much as now, seeing how Alonso trounced him. There have een rumors that COulthard will replace Piquet, who will partner Bourdais at STR, while Vettel partners Webber. I don't believe it, but you can be sure Vettel will get Coulthard's seat soon.

Coulthard- needs to pull something soon. Really soon. His performance in Canada last year was nothing special so he better hope for a miracle. Despite being the most titled active British driver (it's a cool and worthy title), his time to retire is very imminent.

Glock- Trulli is not undefeatable. But he better start a points account soon, or else he may be replaced by Kamui Kobayashi.

Heidfled- his problems are entirely tre related. If cars did not have tires, he would be champion. First, he ahs trouble warming them up. BMW agrees. But also, the Bridgestone tires are starting to slowly catch up to the Michlin tires in all their glory in '06. Aggressive style is being more rewarded, which is great news for drivers like Kubica and Alonso. But he etter be careful and pull a ood ressult.

Championship title. here is the order of probability of winning te chamionpship.

Raikkonen (most likely)- he slipped up a few times, OK. It is possible that he will ut in a total Kimi season and that Massa or Hamilton will take the honors. But he has the pace and the determination. Hamilton will pull away a bit in Canada, but he will roar in France. He was at a horrible place in the points at this time of year last year,a nd he certainly has improved on that.

Hamiton- Consistent and dedicated. Has he team fully behind him (say, when will it be all right for us to say that McLaren are deliberately slowing Heikki down?'Cuz it sure looks like it. Heikki said he was surprised in Monaco tht his qualifying times were so much slower than the top three. Maybe Fernando can break it to him).Anyway, he has some strong chances, and it just depends on how long he can keep up his strong pace.

Massa- Fast, quick and clever. To those who say he can't perform under pessure, look how he's coe fro the dead. Maybe the dark horse of this championship. Also, if the title goes to the wire, he gets the last word: Brazil.

Kubica- far off chance, I don't believe in it too much, but hey, he sure is close. Kubica is fast and deadly consistent. His mistake in the Aussie qualifying is the only one I can think of so far this season, apart fromthe bad starts.
Maybe his consistency will pay off, especially if BMW manage to up the pace.

Constructors: Ferrari will win, and it will be very close etwen Mcaren and BMW.

Everybody, feel free to burn down and critize what I've said if that is what you must do to get our minds off Mosley.

[Matthew]

Nice to see that Luca di Montezemolo has followed the likes of Brundle, Webber, Sir Jackie and Ecclestone and had the guts to say Mosely should quit (Reuters just now). Perhaps now the people who have so far shown no backbone/moral standards will all jump on board and follow this example of leadership.

[F1-Insider]

Ed
Puzzled: yesterday the moderator inferred that the FIA case against the Sunday Times/Martin Brundell ref the alleged 'Witch Hunt' article had been settled.
Could you please advise what the settlement was or provide a link to the outcome as if this has been settled it's passed me by?
Thanks

[john o'doe]

Strange timing from Luca di Montezemolo and a none too subtle hint that if Max does 'the right thing' and steps down - now that he's spent a million of the FIA's money on winning the vote of confidence - he should be succeeded by someone as equally Ferrari-friendly.

[Kate C-J]

I spotted you on the telly in your dapper jacket. Your height does make you easy to pick out, not to mention the bald patch! But, as D says, why no menus...it's no good talking about steak and chips that are a year old. Can we have full coverage from Montreal please?

[Derek Smith]

Matthew,

Got to say I agree with much of what you said. However, I'm not sure history will teach us anything other than we never learn from it.

The battle between Kimi and Massa is the most difficult to call. Kimi appears to have gone off the boil, or lukewarm I suppose, and I’ve got doubts as to his commitment. Massa seems to be on the crest. Canada could be a bit of a watershed.

McLaren have no such problem at the moment but that Hamilton is unchallenged by his team mate could be a thing of the past if Heikki qualifies well and his luck holds out.

I am seriously impressed with Kubica. Ones wonders if he has wrung everything out of his car or whether, as confidence improves, he will get it to sing.

This promises to be a fascinating race. Just what we need.

[D]

^
IDR >

In view of Canada's absence of any celebrity for its viticulture, we are stocking up with Labatt's beer for this one and hoping (hope plays a major part when it comes to weather in an English summer) to have a barbecue on race-day.

(Waffles with maple syrup and cream for breakfast.)

The barbecued monkfish recipe you suggested once before was great but I think we'll go red meat for this one.

Any of Senora IDR's culinary suggestions would be much appreciated, as always.

^
Ed >

On-scene inspiration from Montréal (and/or Toyota - which does food better than it does racing cars) would also be gratefully received.

Hope they give you some of Jarno's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - it's extremely sgreeable.

Have a good race and a great time, matey.

PS. Be sure to let us know which pit McLaren finds itself in, this weekend!

[Alfredo Nieto]

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=34986

Funny!

Let's get over with the Mosley affair and back to racing - please?!

[Stelmara]

Ed
I am surprised you have not published my comments of yesterday about the wimps at the FIA. Can I ask if you (The Times) are now censoring this blog?
If, as it appears, you are I feel let down by both you and The Times as, so long as opinions are not vulgar or in any way open to legal recourse it seems very Mosley like which, up till now this blog most certainly hasn't been.

Thanks
Stella

[D]

^
Derek >

Although I wasn't there, this year, I got the impression that at Monaco, irrespective of however things went for him, Heikki looked at the situation shrewdly and realised that it would be politically unwise (even damaging) for him at McLaren to attempt to trounce Lewis at that particular track, this particular year. Especially since, after all that has happened to him this year, he is now so many points behind the championship leaders.

So, Heikki played his cards differently at Monaco. His challenge, generally, is to show his pace to others who might be interested in his services if the Ron/Lewis bond proves to be too much of a lock-out in future years at McLaren, without at the same time being disruptive. Impressive qualifyings and race fastest laps can do that for him.

Lewis Hamilton was a man on a mission to win Monaco in 2008, after the events of last year (about which we have all expressed our views a number of times, so let's not go there yet again - I'm making a different point).

Which is, that if Heikki had poisoned the porridge on that one it would not have been been an astute move, career-wise, at McLaren. (Much as I would have loved to see the expressions on Ron Dennis's and Anthony Hamilton's faces if he had - and I imagine the beam on Martin Whitmarsh's would have lit up the harbour).

Canada, however, is an entirely different matter. It was at Montréal last year, after a couple of big ones in practice, that Heikki finally turned the corner on his ragged early performances and drove a good, solid race in a car that was vicious and unpredictable on Bridgestones and without a mass-damper. After that, Heikki just went on improving.

So, I think you're right about Lewis not being able to assume that he won't have to worry about opposition from his team-mate this weekend.

It also has to be remembered that, given his deficit in this year's World Championship now, these next few races are the ones in which Heikki will have to take the opportunity to shine, before he gets reined in at the final few races to assist Lewis's Championship hopes in the concluding stages. (Which is not a swipe at Lewis; it's a recognition of the way the Championship has unfurled, this year.)

If I were Heikki, I'd be looking as hard at any plans Ron Dennis may have to spend more time with his yacht next year as I would be looking at the Ron/Lewis, patron/protégé situation.

Martin Whitmarsh running a McLaren(?) Mercedes-Benz team with an all-new-technology car in 2009 has more to offer Heikki than disrupting things at Woking this year when he's so far behind in the points.

But, as one of the few Murray Walker-ism's that I like goes, anything can happen in motor racing and it usually does. That's why we love and watch it.

And Heikki can take comfort from the optimistic view of Norbert Haug, expressed only this morning: http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080605103918.shtml

As for Robert Kubica, I have to confess to not being able to perceive any lack of confidence in him already!

I think, though, and as usual, we are pretty much of the same view on this one, Derek. It wouldn't surprise me if IDR and Ed himself shared it, too!

[Will R]

Do you think that putting this article in the section "current affairs" is asking for trouble.....

Seriously, MM is either (bluntly) stupid about how the real world works, or he is so in control of what he wants to do. I hope that it's the former, but I suspect that it's the latter.

Which is a shame. Personally, I would have expected him to resign pretty much immediately after the newspapers revealed the story - an honourable thing to do, and to protect his legacy. If he'd done that, then the important work that he has done by raising the safety bar in all forms of motorsport would not be overshadowed but sleaze and bloody-mindedness.

I don't agree with many decisions that MM has made. Last year was the closest I have ever come to walking away from F1 in the 15 or so years that I have been interested in it. If Max stays until his term is officially over he will destroy motorsport as we know it, and we will have to re-invent the series from a posse of breakaway factions - similar to the situation in the early/mid eighties.

Max has to go.

[Mannersaye]

Forget Mosley, this is hilarious. Anthony Hamilton - Carrera GT - tree. Doh...

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/article4069369.ece

[J S]

I should imagine you will be delighted to smell the oily rags and exhaust fumes, steak and chips does not sound very Parisian and we do like all the details, menus, what no wine I hear someone ask, can't believe it and in Paris as well. Well you have been spotted on Sky and I heard you on Radio 5 Live, busy week I should say, sailing was tame eh? Enjoy Canada and the true reason for being trackside, MOTOR RACING!!

[Felipe]

D, don't know about IDR or Ed, but I totally agree. Well written and lets hope we see Heikki improve. we are owed a good race for him. Would also love Robert to win his first race here.

[KoJ Finland]

I have just read that McLaren are in pit garage No 5. Could you find out why? Are they not supposed to be at the end of the pits due to complaints from other teams (even though no team has said they complained)?
Could you also tell me/us who it is that makes this decision is it Ecclestone or Mosley and the FIA?
I am also picking up that Kubica could be going to Ferrari as it is looking more likely that Kimi will retire at the end of his contract, what can you tell us?
Alonso to BMW, Kubica to Ferrari would certainly be interesting.

[Weasel]

Testing testing, is there life on Mars? I too have had two posts in two days on two different threads either redacted or treated with the contempt they deserve - what's with this Ed?

I am not in the habit of making predictions, but Q-bitza is in my subconscious for some reason, and not because of last year's scary accident.

Pity this is being broadcast in the U.S. on Fox and not on Speed - I was looking forward to some interesting post Paris (France, not Hilton) comments from the crew on Speed - especially the laconic Mr. Hobbs.

Enjoy the jet lag Ed - remember it is worse going back to Europe.

[D]

^
Mannersaye >

Well spotted!

Some will be wondering how this came about but, as I am sure our dear friend JavierVivaEspana will soon be pointing out with far more insight and objectivity, this is what happens when Fernando "Magic" Alonso is no longer around to set up the Hamilton car.

[nicki, california,usa]

Another F-1 racer that crashes into and crushes a bush? It could only be Anthony Hamilton with a Carrera GT.
Any blogger wishes to give him some driving lessons?

[kohque]

So Ecclestone wants to move the whole house because the carpet is dirty... That really makes sense, doesn't it?

There has to be more behind the Mosley's affair than meets the eye, otherwise nobody would remember it by now, except for an embarrasing moment.

It would be interesting to know the real reason why some people are so obsessed with the issue. The whole 'video thing' seems to be a set up. To me, that stinks even more than Mosley's tastes, but for some reason nobody wants to give a lot thoughts to that. For example, who is that prostitute? How much money she was paid and by who? Who wins if Mosley steps down and why? I would like to know, but... naaah, maybe is just fashionable nowadays for prostitutes to bring their cameras to the job.

Your comments about Mosley add nothing of substance, brings no lights.

Good luck. Hope Mosley finally quits and so you can go to sleep.

[Carleton Twitchell]

Lets face it ...2nd in Monaco! A win in Canada ...Kubica blind-sided nearly everyone and his team-mate demonstrated the car too is strong against the rest.And now a Pole is on the Top of the World by a slim margin but given his consistency couyld keep it for a few ...now up to the team to keep winning ...Go Bimmer!
So was Lewis thinking about his Carrera GT going into that playground or distracted by the pretty gals in the pit lane suites? Did his braking foot know that it had to function in pit lane (on cruise no doubt?) ...so 2 # pit lanes boo-boos so far ( my count!)I Do think that many front-runners all going in together after safety car...the dice were loaded for a shunt in there as drivers tried to outfuel each other and grab the lead ...RULE CHANGE PLEASE FIA?and then that Red Light ...thats it !! It was a joke ...Red Light DISTRICT!!! Ahhh!..a reenactment of Chelsea WITH cars!!
Noticeably no pics of BE and MM hugging in the paddock ..the former probably getting his ducks in a row further South at someones Ranch?
Bet the Bimmer dealerships will rush to make the most of the long lost fame...free posters to us Volks
...great bikes too...a first in manufactures to do both.
We definitely need a Warsaw GP now Guv please !! Cheers....