Bernie Ecclestone, Chase Carey, Baku City Circuit, 2018

Ecclestone criticises Carey’s donation to F1’s diversity initiative

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In the round-up: Bernie Ecclestone responded to Formula 1’s criticism of his comments on racism, questioning the value of F1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey’s donation to its initiative to promote diversity in the sport.

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Comment of the day

Has Daniel Ricciardo let Renault down?

I can’t see there not being any awkwardness.

Ricciardo basically took on a huge paycheque and therefore a big part of Renault’s budget and committed himself, full of promises, to being part of their revival. Just over a year later, when the sniff of something “better” came along, he immediately jumped ship.

I can’t see his mechanics and engineers being particularly stoked about that. I for one lost a lot of respect for him for that, and I have far less invested in it than the Renault workforce.
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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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67 comments on “Ecclestone criticises Carey’s donation to F1’s diversity initiative”

  1. Broccoliface
    29th June 2020, 0:03

    The poison dwarf is going on a right mad one!

    1. It’s not my fault I am white, or that I am a little shorter than the next man. I was called Titch at school.

      People like you are the problem.

      1. Tony Mansell
        29th June 2020, 11:13

        Exactly. Criticises him for having an outmoded view then calls him a dwarf. Way to go hero

        1. Broccoliface
          29th June 2020, 23:45

          I didn’t criticize him Sherlock, I just referenced the fact he’s coming out with inflammatory soundbites again.

      2. Broccoliface
        29th June 2020, 23:41

        Cry more

    2. Lewis, Bernie or Carey?

      1. Randy.
        “Don’t want no short people round here” (Short People, Randy Newman, 1977)
        Short Lives Matter A Little.

  2. Re COTD, It takes 2 to tango, Renault probably promised more than just a big paycheque, we don’t know, but if a better car and more investment in the team was part of the deal it wasn’t evident on track, and is McL really that much better?

     

    1. I agree, but Alonso often gets attacked for losing patience at Mclaren, despite being promised the world and being given a poor equipment. But the difference there is he stuck it out for quite a few years before finally realising it wasn’t going to happen.

      1. Unless I am mistaken, Renault and DR entered into a two year contract for 2019 and 2020. At the end of this season (for what it is or might be) the contract will end. Yes, that means end for both parties.
        Renault could just as easily have signed someone else to partner Ocon for 2021 and left DR high and dry.
        I don’t understand the angst over DR taking the initiative and being the first of the two entities in the current contract, to make arrangements for next season. The other side is that Renault now has loads of time to decide what they want to do and who they want to do it with for 2021 and beyond.

        1. Renault could call that German dude with the Dekra sponsorship, maybe he is interested.

  3. Love the pic used here. Almost as of Carey was responding to BE!

    1. @thedoctor03 That image is from Baku 2018.

      1. Yep, I was joking that the use of the pic for the article was very apt since it implies Carey possibly giving the “up you” sign to BE… @jerejj

        1. @thedoctor03 Yes, Indeed. I see what you mean.

  4. F1 cant start soon enough, hopefully we can talk about racing once again.

    1. @jaymenon10 I couldn’t agree more.

    2. Hear hear

    3. I didn’t know we wasn’t allowed to?

      1. @riptide It’s a lot easier to talk about F1 racing when there is some happening…

  5. In all fairness to Ecclestone, his interview in the Mail is a big bucket of blubbering nonsense. Daring Carey to try banning him from Vlad’s Race was a particular highlight in the confused inner tour of his wounded ego. He should be using his spare time to practice his nappy changing skills instead (I mean, for his imminent new offspring, obviously).

    1. To be honest, Ecclestone’r remarks on racism are pretty illuminating, if you read them.

      1. @liko41 Illuminating of his own attitudes, I guess you mean. I 100% endorse Hamilton’s response: Ecclestone’s remarks show why so little was done to counter racism within F1 while BE was there. The actual interview is a morass of corralled self-justification and sniping from someone F1 has thankfully now left behind. I meant what I said, he should focus on his new child, at the ripe age of 89, and enjoy these (final) years. Every time he makes a public statement, he sounds more ridiculous and just reminds everyone how good it is he’s no longer in charge.

        1. @david-br
          You are probably so keen to correct other people misprints to read and properly understand what Ecclestone had to say.
          You must be one of those liberals who think freedom of speech only extends to those who agree with them.

          1. @liko41 Right, and I must have misheard all his disparaging comments on democracy and his praise of dictators around the globe too.

          2. @david-br
            This has nothing to do with Ecclestone’s political views.
            You may like them or not.
            The point here is: could you say Ecclestone is racist?
            He said he gave an opportunity to TJ Ribbs to drive one of his cars back in the seventies and that is true. In the 70s, mind you, not last week.
            He employed black people on his personal staff.
            He treated Hamilton fairly, same if not better than other drivers, often praising him since day one.
            Hamilton has NEVER experienced racist discrimination in F1, except for a deprecable outburst in Spain in 2007.
            If he has something to complain, it’s not Formula One he should put the blame on.

            The rest is pure speculation.

          3. It was actually Willy T Ribbs , who tested Brabham in 1986. So the eighties,not the seventies.
            Just to get the facts straight.

          4. @liko41 You’re the one who went for the ‘liberal’ and ‘freedom of speech’ defence of BE, as though he needs it, hence my reminder about Ecclestone’s adoration of states and state figures who repress both.

          5. @liko41 The racist booing apparently doesn’t count? (Some of it has been, though definitely not all).

          6. @david-br
            I went for “freedom of speech” because you seemed to be a little appalled by the fact Bernie was asked questions.
            As for his political opinions, again: not a topic here.

          7. @alianora-la-canta
            The boos Hamilton got were mainly by generic h@ters, which I had always condemned and labeled as ignorant.
            But I don’t think they are moved by racism. I am from Italy and tifosi here simply h@te everyone not dressed in a red suit.
            It’s not the skin color that matters to them, it’s the car color.
            Deprecable, but not racist.

    2. @david-br Wouldn’t be surprised if he was auto-barred from every track, because he’s not needed to make things run in COVID-19 setting, and it would be easy for Liberty to “forget” to reactivate his red pass post-COVID due to damaging the brand.

  6. I don’t think Bernie said anything racist. He gave his opinion.

    I hope F1 is consistent with pushing for diversity. Especially when going to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Russia. A great chance for F1 to “educate” fans in those countries.

  7. Looking at the Williams pic, still cant understand why the tube has a square cross section. One never sees that in nature, are we humans smarter than millions of years of evolution? I think not.

    1. Sorry “tub” not “tube”

      1. Square sections are stronger compared to a round section when force orientation is known and dispersion of those forces are important. Round sections are stronger when force orientation is unknown or not constantly in any one or more axis. Nature has made trees round as the wind can blow from any direction and thus the force orientation can be from any angle. Man is smarter than nature as it can project and predict the force orientations and make stronger square sections to suit that force.

        1. Classic case of this is in a nascar/supercar chassis where box sections are used where force orientation is known (engine bay, suspension mount and the basic underlying chassis) and round tube where force orientation is random (roll cage, side intrusion protection). Triangulation of components make each stronger as does skinning and gussetting.

          1. Thank you Gerrit.
            Who would have thought that the most interesting part of the round-up could be found in the comment section.

            Follow up question: is there any example in nature where force is always from one direction and with square structures?

          2. Coldfly

            “is there any example in nature where force is always from one direction and with square structures?”

            I don’t think so. Can remember our art teacher, 60 years ago, saying that there are no straight lines in nature. Nor are there perfect spheres.

            Maybe a beehive honeycomb structure is close? Designed to hold up vertically without needing horizontal support? Interestingly man uses the honeycomb structure in the cores of composite panels.

          3. Great comment thread here indeed, thanks Gerrit, Johns and @coldfly – I would say, maybe the elongated shapes of some bones, like in the scapula (not sure whether that’s purely force orientation) are somewhat of an example?

          4. Your humerus midsection is pretty much a triangle

  8. If it wasn’t Ecclestone I’d be thinking it was a joke account to not only double down on his racism, but play the “I was born white, you can’t blame me!!!” card. Yikes, Bernie, effing yikes.

  9. Re COTD: Renault made a bad car last year. I’m pretty sure htat wasn’t on the list of promises. DR was probably not massively stoked about that, or filled with confidence about the 2020. Renault know what his goal is. They can’t really complain – much less be surprised – when he looks elsewhere because they can’t demonstrate an ability to produce a race-winning car.

    1. And looking at their ‘marriage’ from a different perspective: they were on a 1 year remaining deal (and no options as far as we know). Isn’t it a very noble thing to do to advise your partner of your future plans early on? It find it more worrying when the parties drag their feet and only advise they’re leaving late in the season.

  10. Agree w/ @coldfly he’s leaving at the end of his contract, he can choose not to renew just as much as Renault can choose not to renew. Ultimately, in every contract, one of the two comes up eventually, that’s how they all end.

    1. I agree. Maybe Renault were a bit surprised to see Daniel declare his intentions so early, but really the onus is on Renault to have produced a race winning car. If they had then I suspect he’d have stayed with them. The problem really is if Daniel had waited the seat at McLaren would have been taken, then he’d be stuck with being at Renault for a few more years. Ultimately his goal would be to get a seat at Mercedes or Ferrari, and getting the seat at McLaren isn’t going to harm that prospect, but staying at Renault could have given the impression he was passed his best years.

  11. Given the recent influx of very young drivers (leclerc, russell, albon, norris, verstappen – all making their debuts in their late teens/early twenties) Latifi must be the oldest driver to make his debut in quite a few years. Hartley is the only other one that I can think of, but he had at least been signed as a test driver about 10 years beforehand!!

  12. Ah, Bernie goes on to prove his obscureness. He used to be at least well informed – did he miss that Carey sent a million of their OWN money?

    And did he miss that many many brands are currently associating with messages supporting health care workers, supporting anti racism and pro diversity moves?

    Mercedes today coming out supporting their drivers’ clearly stated views, and at the same time the message F1 put out there a few days ago show that F1/Liberty actually felt the mood right with that one.
    Off course these rainbows and black cars won’t bring about a huge shift. But if they are a signal of large companies seeing their customer base shift and start supporting that with their advertisement money, that could become somethign big.

    So that being one of the first large international sports to put this “rainbow diversity” thing out there might help keep and attract new partners for F1 at a time when the sport really needs some kind of message it can sell (just cars with petrol hybrid engines probably won’t be cutting it in the near future that we are stepping into).

    1. @bascb, Bernie always thought of F1 money as his own.

      1. good point there @hohum!

  13. Derek Edwards
    29th June 2020, 11:44

    In Bernie’s book if you are going to spend a million the least you should get is an exemption from the government on anti-tobacco advertising legislation.

  14. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/53184543 Didn’t know about this story; found it fascinating.

  15. Bernie is absolutely right, this time, apart from his praises for Hitler and Putin.
    Racism exists and the large majority of discriminated people are probably black, but that doesn’t mean blacks are always victims by default, nor that a white man can’t be discriminated against.

    Hamilton may have experienced racism in his life, but he needs to stop accusing everyone around him of racism when they disagree with him or they don’t stand with him on some march in downtown London.
    Ron Dennis and Bernie Ecclestone both have their pros and cons, but sure they did NOT discriminate him.

    1. “that doesn’t mean blacks are always victims by default, nor that a white man can’t be discriminated against”

      The two are not mutually exclusive. If a white man is discriminated against, it doesn’t mean one less black man is discriminated against. The point is that black people in the US are overwhelmingly, by orders of magnitude, more likely to die at the hands of police. How does a discriminated white man affect that or have any meaning given the scale of the issue? Remember All Lives Matter only when Black Lives Matter. Because, you know, black people are also people.

      But we should expect no less from Eccelstone, he always admired fascists (Mosely anyone?). And he was never in touch with the larger business world – to companies like Liberty this is just a marketing exercise. But Bernie is an ideologue. Once he separates everyone from each other he then separates them from their money. In his world, racism is just a strategy.

      1. The matter is far more complicated. Black men in the US are also a lot more likely to be violent. A few cops are criminals, but the vast majority is not and they work every day in difficult and dangerous environments.
        Floyd himself was not by far a role model citizen. Now, does this justify brutal force on him, unnecessary violence and homicide? Of course not.
        Does the cops deserve punishing? Of course they do.
        But the best way to address this issue is discussing how we can guarantee to all people, especially discriminated black kids, better opportunities.
        Not idolizing Floyd.
        Not treating white people as bad by default.
        Not accusing whoever disagree with you of being racist.
        Hamilton is a privileged human being and he seems to forget it quite often.

        1. @T Weiss

          The point is that black people in the US are overwhelmingly, by orders of magnitude, more likely to die at the hands of police.

          The disparity between men and women is even greater. Are men being discriminated against? Or is this acceptable because men are more often criminal?

          Black Americans are far more often criminal than white Americans. Isn’t the logical consequence that they deal with the police more often?

          Note that black Americans are equally likely to die per police encounter. They do have more police encounters.

    2. Harold wilson
      30th June 2020, 1:35

      You clearly don’t see the problem if you can on the one hand say praising Putin & Hitler was wrong, but he is right with everything else.

  16. No one is commenting Supercars? It was very exciting weekend.
    5 sets of tyres for the weekend. Not enough for a full tilt for 3 races, even sprints. So there was some strategy when to use fresh rubber, when to put only 2 or 3 tyres at a pit stop.
    ‘Smaller’ teams had a chance

  17. Someone really needs to put Mumm-ra back into his crypt. I can see why reporters go to him, as he’s interview gold but enough of his mumblings already.

  18. Bernie is certainly entitled to his opinion, however wrong it may be.

    But, if Bernie wants to criticize Carey for donating $1M because that amount doesn’t go far enough, that’s still $1M more than Bernie put up. Talk is cheap.

    1. @Radoye While we know Bernie doesn’t believe in the cause and therefore won’t have donated a cent, Bernie also wouldn’t have told us how much he donated if he had done so.

      1. Maybe he would tell us – such donations are tax deductible, you know.

  19. As far as cotd goes I think it is a bit naive to think that it would be the mechanics to worry about. It is the top level management who can make things awkward. But the guys and gals doing work on the car, the engineers at races and at factory. They know what it is. All of them are just contracted employees and when better things come they move. There is no personal feelings like there might be at higher levels where it also about personal connections and relationships – things you say or leave unsaid. And if the top level management is being difficult I’d expect the mechanics and engineers to sympathise with ricciardo. Not turn against him. Unless it is poisoned atmosphere…

  20. About the COTD:

    If I recall correctly, the last time a Renault driver announced he was leaving for McLaren, a year before leaving, Renault and the driver won the constructors and the drivers championship.

    It’s not exactly the same situation, in 2006 both were winning teams and now both are midfield teams, but I think that for Ricciardo and Renault, it’s better to work well this year. Awkwardness is going to depend on the results

  21. Chase’s company helped create the scheme to which he donated. It would have been more puzzling had he not done so. Also, shareholders want companies to respond to their circumstances, especially when they are as heavy as currently is the case.

    (I do wonder, however, if Bernie is critical because Chase publicised the size of the donation. Bernie donated to charities quite a bit to various causes over the years, but he made a point of never talking about the size of donations – partly because he felt that stating the donated amount was bragging, partly because of vulnerability to accusations of not doing the “right” size of donation for the cause).

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