http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=irl&id=2089257 I'd like to see Danica prove him wrong.
Ecclestone's a shmuck. Between this and allowing the mess at Indy this weekend someone needs to take him out so we can have some semblence of sanity in F1 racing. I've worked with Danica off the track and after seeing her on the track I think the old school boys like Bernie and that chicken s..t Robbie Gordon need their 'nads handed to them. Gordon you might remember was quoted as refusing to race against Danica until she was given a weight penalty to compensate for his fat rear.
A bi-religion Jewish/Muslim black girl with "super looks" driving a white Fridgedaire (made by a division of GM) with Michelins around Indy while telling us in Spanish about the advantages of the bipolar defrost cycle on the latest side-by-side refrigerator/freezer over the team radio would, in fact, have been more interesting than what SPEED-TV showed today. I'd like to see that baby handle the transition between 13 and the straight..................... VA-VA BOOM VAROOOOOOOOOOOOOM Mark Nerheim
The only conceivable reason to keep an unpersonable **** talking a$$h0le in a position of authority is because he's actually competent at something. Bernie Ecclestone has proven he is an incompetent clowning a$$h0le after the latest FIA fiasco at Indianapolis. Therefore, there is no reason at all he should remain in that position. Down with the fool I say !!
What an absolute nutjob. Danica's reaction: Perplexing talk Danica upset and confused by Ecclestone's comments http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/racing/06/22/bc.car.irl.danica.ecclestone.ap/index.html?cnn=yes
I thought the comment was rather amusing! hadn't heard that one before - kinda goes along with the old one "barefoot and pregnant". A person must have their head in the sand not to understand what Bernie said. I'd would have just laughed and told Bernie that was a good one! Carol
Now that's funny! It's probably all just a publicity stunt for Patrick, it sounds more like Bernie made a generalization than a directed comment. Didn't offend me, made me laugh! Carol
I thought the comment was right on the money. It should be motivation for her to prove him wrong. If her "feelings" got hurt, maybe she should rethink her career. Maybe working in a nice quiet library.
It did get him on ESPN though, first time I've seen anything F1 related on that TDI (?) show where the two guys do like minute thirty debates about a string of topics. On the same day they also brought up the Indy debacle. Maybe F1 is getting US exposure. And not that I agree with him, but at least Ecclestone has the balls to stand up and say what he wants. If only we could get Schumi, Kimi, etc. to do that in interviews. Could you picture a world where people actually have personality? That would be horrible, because they might not all conform to the machine (and might even offend someone)... We wouldn't want that...
Ecclestone is a clown there is no doubt about it. Being that there is all this talk about Patrick being so great I guess he needed to respond. I'm actually very tired of all this "girl power" talk in racing. I would love to see a team have the balls to front up millions of $ to have her drive an F-1 car against the big boys. Ain't going to happen...They would eat her for lunch and that is a fact... Vince
You can call me worthless, jerk, ass, loser etc but being one the wealthiest people in the world and the most powerful man in motorsports....you can call me anything you want but my pocket change alone is FU money x 10 to you. Now, who is going to wash my Rolls Royce and play nice? signed, Big B. Ecclestone
Ecclestone in 1982: Taking on Bala-Bala Balestre and winning for F1 taking it to new heights Ecclestone in 2005: Helpless old man running around the paddock incapable to find a solution for the USGP Resign!
Although I like to see character, good point. It seems the average age of the media and motorsports directors is increasing quite a bit. I think a big part of the 70s being so exciting was that you had young guns running a lot of the teams, as a lot of the journalists, as F1 management, etc. Back then, Montezemolo was a young lawyer running the Scuderia, Frank Williams was still zipping around country roads in rental cars, Ecclestone was a young enthusiast, so was Mosley. Their youth shaped the good times, and their age/maturity now is starting to wear on it. It's much more complicated than that, and this is a narrow example, but Red Bull is the only young gun style team this year and look how they are doing. Pick up this months issue of C/D, it's easy to see why the Cannonball was huge, why the Opel issue in the junkyard was notorious. Thing is, those same guys are still the main writers/editors, but now they don't live in the city, don't throw out of control parties at Watkins Glen, etc. And that's exactly why the mag is a hollow shell of the excitement and edge it used to be. Sometimes the exuberance/stupidity of youth makes for a hell of a show.
Hard to see what his point was with these comments. Bernie has always stuck me as very calculating in everything he does and says, not necessarily a nice guy, but always cunning and smart.
The guy's an eccentric. Not that I agree or condone his "old school" thinking but at least the guy isn't afraid to speak his mind unlike most other @ss kissers out there.
My opinion as well up to last weekend. If he had an agenda (e.g. getting rid of Michelin or getting rid of Indy as a place), it was a dumb one that backfired. I think he lost it and hence the unqualified Danica statements fit the bill.
Agreed. It is so out of character for a guy who is ALWAYS thinking of the bottom line. On that note, as you point out, it was he above anyone else who SHOULD have brokered a comprimise at Indy.
He's actually not saying that Danica is a bad driver, he said she did a good job. I think it was a jab at the IRL for making such a huge, unjustified deal about her.
"Danica, please, PLEASE!! Come swimming with me! All of my friends have deserted me. I'm so lonesome! Boo hoo!!" Edit: Ooops - forgot the photo credit. Picture by B. Asset, from Grand Prix International, Dec. 10, 82. Image Unavailable, Please Login
WWWAAAAAHHHAHHHAHHHA!!!!! Where did you dig that up? He's wearing the same pair of glasses? The guy's got how many BILLIONS of $$$ and he's still go the same glasses?
There was a story in my local paper saying that Bernie actually said this directly to Danica. She said she didn't really know what to make of it but she seemed far from impressed. Not in person though, i think it was a phone call. The freaking guy has really lost it.
I agree that Bernie's comments were completely inappropriate. However, I also think the fawning over Danica is misplaced. How many races has she won? If she proves to be a driver that appears to have F1 potential, she should be given a chance based on that fact alone.
