I hope that Ari can become the winner - it would be the best senario for the motorsport world. Here's some news from today: Carol * * * * planet f1 FIA presidential candidate Ari Vatanen has admitted the support for rival Jean Todt from Formula One's current power-brokers has come as no surprise as they are trying to block a "mini revolution". The Finn, who goes head to head with Todt in an election in Paris a week on Friday, believes he has attracted support from more than half of the voting members who will decide on the future chief of motorsport's world governing body. However, F1's commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone and current FIA President Max Mosley have come out in support of Frenchman Todt, with Mosley having stated in a recent letter to Vatanen's nominated vice-president (sport) for the Middle East, HRH Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan, that the 1981 World Rally Champion will "lose badly". Vatanen told www.thesportbriefing.com that the letter from Mosley illustrated exactly why there needs to be a change at the FIA. "It was an incredible letter and I was very saddened by it," said Vatanen. "It's a sad result of a culture where personal politics and power games rule the day. "We have a totally different approach and are proposing the opposite culture to that. "The FIA cannot be known as a place for battles. It must be a place where common ground can be found. We need to be accountable for our actions and encourage democracy. "I couldn't expect anything else from them (Ecclestone and Mosley). They are a continuation of the old power and they don't want the family silver to be served by people who wish to apply modern governance. "I'm not the owner of the modern governance and it's not static. It's an ongoing evolution. "At the moment the minority, rather than the majority, is favoured. That's why the FIA is out of breath. We can become dynamic and there is so much potential to be unleashed. "This whole campaign has lifted my spirits. For a start, it looks promising (for the result of the election). Secondly, regardless of the outcome, I feel so good about the campaign because I know we are proposing a mini-revolution." Following the news on Monday that Donington Park boss Simon Gillett had been given a final two-week ultimatum by Ecclestone to resolve his financial issues or risk losing the British Grand Prix, Vatanen said: "My gut feeling is that Donington is not feasible any more." He added: "I'm not against Donington at all, but Silverstone doesn't just represent the highest bidder mentality and we need a balanced approach to developing the sport. "We should go to certain new parts of the world, but this cannot be done at the expense of the traditional circuits. With the highest bidder approach, it doesn't take into account how much the local market can invest into the race. "Obviously the FIA must have a bigger role in the F1 calendar, so it doesn't get distorted."
Ari is stating what F1 and the FIA have been crying out for years, plain common sense. Mosley is a floundering dictating cretin, I depise the man with a passion. He would have been gone years ago if it wasn't for Bernie Hecklestone.
Really? I had no idea. Just messing with you Steve I tend to agree and am hoping against all odds that Ari can pull this one off.
I really doubt it. I think we all need Ari for a big change. Todt sounds just like Mosley, with all this cost cutting nonsense. Ari, OTOH, wants to go back to basics. Other than that, if Todt becomes the FIA president, all those Ferrari - FIA nonsense will go into high gear..
latest this morning -----a week to go and now this ! surprised, not at all.. Carol planet f1 Max Mosley insists that when he steps down as FIA President he will walk away unless asked by the governing body to lend a helping hand. Mosley is set to step down later this year, sparking a major tussle between Ari Vatanen and Jean Todt for his position. And with the war between the two candidates already turning nasty with Vatanen stating that choosing Todt will be keeping Mosley in power, some may wonder about the validity of his words given that Mosley, a friend of Todt's, has now stated that he may yet play a role. "I wish my successor and his entire team the very best for the future," he said in a letter sent to FIA members and seen by Autosport. "I hope in a modest way through membership of the Senate and the Foundation to continue to stay in touch with the clubs and with the new leadership of the FIA. "But I will only offer advice if specifically asked to do so. The time has now come for me to step back and enjoy a much quieter life." Mosley's reign as head of the FIA has been marred with controversy and scandals, however, the 69-year-old has played a major role in improving Formula One's safety standards, that is the legacy he hopes to leave behind. "Early in my presidency in 1994 we lost Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger. Their deaths led to a fundamental re-evaluation of safety at all levels of motorsport. We established a research group charged with constant innovation and renewal of safety requirements. "The result has been improved head and neck protection, the HANS system, better harnesses, crash helmets, wheel tethers, survival cell systems and many other innovations, all of which have contributed to a huge improvement in safety. "The benefits can be seen every weekend in race meetings and rallies all over the world. Without this progress, the heavy crashes during the recent Formula One event at Suzuka might easily have led to another tragic weekend like Imola in 1994." As for the controversies, such as McLaren's Stepneygate saga and Renault's race-fixing scandal, the outgoing president reckons he did all he could to bring F1 back into line. "In the last year or two, the degree of controversy about the FIA and my role as President reached new heights. In particular, we had to deal with the theft by a top Formula One team of the entire intellectual property of their main rival. "More recently we had an extraordinary plot to crash a car deliberately during a race. Again, there was controversy but this time the car manufacturer concerned took action and the truth was quickly established. It is always difficult, but these problems have to be tackled decisively if Formula One is to remain credible."
This is also of interest: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/6328903/FIA-presidency-battle-erupts-into-new-row-as-leaked-emails-show-support-for-Jean-Todt.html
Really hoping that Ari wins...but then again, if it's going to be a positive change to make things better then unfortunatey it's most likely not going to happnen.
The fact is the Toad will win, because the legitimacy of the election process is a F-ink joke! Mosley's FIA is a DICTATORSHIP he has structured the FIA voting system in such a way he will decide who wins, and he wants it to be continued in that way. So it isn't any surprise to me whatsoever that the scum wants to lend a helping hand to Todt in other words he has gone back on his worthless stinking word's. Ari wants to sweep the decks of all the scum in F1, and the FIA. Mosley is the biggest piece of scum sat on top of it, Mosley knows this and so does most of us living in the real sane real world. I really don't know if I can bear to watch or support this sport any longer if Mosley is in any way involved.
From the BBC Mosley and Vatanen have exchanged angry letters Candidate Ari Vatanen has taken legal action to seek fairness in the impending election of a new head of the FIA, motorsport's governing body. The Finn's battle with former Ferrari boss Jean Todt to replace president Max Mosley has become increasingly bitter. Vatanen told BBC Radio 5 Live he had served an application to a Paris court to ensure the elections are run in a "democratic, free, and fair manner". But the FIA insists it has measures in place to supervise the 23 October vote. They say they have appointed a public official to oversee the fairness of the election. And the FIA added in a statement: "The FIA is therefore at a loss to explain the purpose of this legal action, if not merely to generate further negative publicity and to attempt to raise doubts about the honesty of FIA staff." I don't know why the FIA would act angrily if they have nothing to hide Ari Vatanen Finn Vatanen, who has accused Mosley of lacking "neutrality", was keen to stress he was not targeting motorsport's governing body. "We are not taking legal action against the FIA," he said. "We just have to make sure that the elections are run in an absolutely democratic, free, and fair manner." The row between Mosley and his would-be successor Vatanen has intensified this week, with the pair again trading blows via the exchange of letters. The 57-year-old Finn has accused Mosley of being the first member of the FIA to "violate" the principle of neutrality. Mosley, 69, responded with a letter expressing surprise but reiterating his support for 63-year-old Todt. Speaking to the BBC's Inside F1 programme, Vatanen added: "I am not saying this against Max Mosley by any means, but any operation run by one man for too long does need a change. "So many [motorsport] clubs all over the world will be worried their votes are not secret. There was a certain level of fear and intimidation. "I don't know why the FIA would act angrily if they have nothing to hide." While Vatanen has received the backing of Formula 1 teams and manufacturers, Todt is claiming considerable support within the governing body. 606: DEBATE Who should win the presidency? As well as accusing Mosley of lacking neutrality, Vatanen also suggested FIA resources had been used on Todt's behalf. Vatanen added that a strongly worded letter sent by Mosley to Jordan's Prince Faisal, one of the Finn's leading supporters, had been defamatory and reserved the right to take legal action. Mosley responded by urging Vatanen to provide evidence of any wrongdoing so the FIA could investigate. The FIA has also invited Vatanen to specify and substantiate his allegations, an offer it says he has so far not taken up.
I see, so you want to investigate your own wrong doing then, well that's the problem you cretin. And that is the way he has run F1 by fear and intimidation brilliant. I really hope Ari can turn the tables on him, and the rest of the FIA members have the balls to stand up to the injustice that Mosley has given F1 for so many years.
It is obvious that not that many here are really for Vatanen but simply anti-Mosley. They'd prefer Peter Pan over any Mosley-endorsed candidate, in this case Todt. If this is any reflection of the folks who actually can influence the outcome, Vatanen has already lost.
Well your not speaking on my behalf, yes I depise Mosley. However I actually think Ari is just what F1 and the FIA needs, he seems intelligent and fair, and if he is like most of the Finnish folk, a straight talker no nonense to the point, I would respect him. Although a drunken donkey would be better than Mosley.
Well, he is not. Except perhaps on the surface. Bible-thumping zealots who believe that dancing is Satan's work, among other things, went out of style in Finland decades ago. To be fair, this may not impede his job performance in any way. I'm just intolerant of people like him. Besides he is a pompous snob who thinks that he's better than "the common folk". A drunk he certainly isn't.
Well I don't know if you can watch this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8311751.stm But as far as I'am concerned Ari in this interview is totally spot on. For what it's worth I really hope he wins.
I don't have a problem with his politics, quite the opposite. I firmly believe in capitalism and I don't believe that we can substantially control global warming, just for starters. I've also met the guy on both sides of The Pond and he was always pleasant to me and my party. I just know many people who know his belief system and his stepson Kim has put some of it into a book for those who might be interested in the details. I also know well a few people who used to live in his neighborhood. I choose to believe those folks as a basis for my ultimate opinion of him. But in the end it is my bad: I'm intolerant of the intolerant.
I have no problem with you being intolerant of the intolerant, maybe I'm the same but I want fair play in F1 and all the other races the FIA takes control over, and my main gripe is that Mosley does not convey in any way this process. A goverance by fear and threat is his way and he has even used it in the election process thats why Ari has seeked help from an independant french court, to make sure the votes are kept secret. It will take a strong leader to keep the teams in line and Ari needs to demand respect, I believe he would fit the bill.
For some reason this is not on the Telegraph website but only in the newspaper today http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=39380
