Ron Walker: F1 Break-away Threatens Aussie GP
Melbourne’s formula one chief, Ron Walker, has threatened to pull the pin on the Albert Park Grand Prix if Ferrari is not on the starting grid next year.
Ron Walker called on controversial FIA head Max Mosley to walk away from the sport to enable a peace deal between the warring factions.
If Mr Mosley refuses to quit and the top teams break away, then the city would not want the event, Walker suggested.
“If the disunity continues Melbourne will seriously consider its position on continuing with formula one,” he said from Paris.
Ferrari’s absence would seriously compromise international television coverage, and therefore Melbourne’s exposure, Mr Walker said. “Without Ferrari racing in Melbourne (it) will lose much of its glamour and therefore the Government investment will come into question.”
That argument is hard to counter against.
The Albert Park event lost $40 million last year and the 2009 race attracted the smallest crowd since Melbourne returned to the schedule in 1996.
If the big auto makers pull-out the world championship will be reduced to a pack of have-nots.
Walker has been in London for the past two days talking to the sport’s other powerbroker, Bernie Ecclestone, as the row between FIA and the teams escalated.
The eight leading teams walked out of a meeting before the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim when they were told they would have no input on proposed cost cutting.
“In my view Mr Mosley should walk away from the sport with dignity rather than slowly strangle to death the great brand of formula One,” Walker said. “The sport needs fresh and dynamic leadership more than ever before to lead F1 into a new era of motor racing. Bernie Ecclestone is absolutely trying to be a peacemaker, but if the most successful automotive companies in the world will not agree to the rules laid down by the FIA then that will be the end of it.”
Why aren’t all venues banding together & using this as a opportunity, not only to rid the world of Mosley but to reduce the overcharging by Bernie. The fee is way too high for these tough times & events should be kicking Bernie in the balls for years of price hikes.
If Prince Albert of Monaco can come out & make a similar threat to what Ron Walker has just done then all venues should unite.
BTW, an indication of how the political wind are blowing……..Walker & Bernie are as thick as thieves, the two are old mates.
AXE MAX!!!! God I love the sound of that, hmmmm, must print me a t-shirt.
I was going to add the same thought to this post but was rushed with the kiddies getting up and ready for school.
I’m sure Walker’s comments have residual bitterness over Max’s treatment of Paul Stoddardt a few years back. What goes around comes around.
All of the other venues live in fear that Spanky will be around forever and exercise his favorite punishment for those who speak out against him. If he survives GP Australia won’t if left to Max.
The race may not survive from I read based on the sheer economics anyway. Sorry Peter, but you may find out how it feels to not have a home GP.
What I would dearly love to know is how much behind the scenes influence Ron Dennis is plying with the FOTA bunch, if any. Surely a permanent grin must be etched on his face!
George I suspect that other FOTA members found Ron’s rabid dedication to the cause just too much to carry. I’m sure that many felt he had monopolised the issues & tried to be viewed as the spokesperson & first among equals.
The relationship with Ferrari was poisonous but I suspect that other autos like Toyota, Renault & particularly BMW resented his self centred stance. Ron’s hair trigger propensity to shoot off from the hip, often with obsessive illogical rants, must have soured their attitude towards them.
I remember John Hogan of Ford/Jaguar publicly admitting as much back in the old GPMA days, referring to Ron as exhausting.
My guess is that while he would be constantly in Whitmarsh’s ear, the FOTA guys would not wish to hear from him. If FOTA does break away we can expect him to return to the pitwall.