Next season’s Formula 1 season looks like it’s going to be one of the most intriguing yet. There won’t be a certain Max Mosley, whose reign as President of Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) was full of scandals. Some said the sports governing body showed favouritism in how it handled some of the disciplinary cases. Formula 1 teams believed that Mosley was governing the sport in an autocratic and arbitrary style.
It will also be a chance for Formula 1 to present a new image after spygate in the 2007 season and crashgate in 2008 — 2009 was dominated by fighting between the Formula One Teams Association and Mosley.
Mosley is no more, Jean Todt is the new president, which means a new beginning for the administration. Mosley’s agreement not to stand for re-election after sixteen years at the helm was critical in resolving what nearly resulted in eight of the ten teams setting up a break-away rival championship.
But Mosley is credited with being the sport’s insulator in the wake of Ayrton Senna’s death in 1994 when politicians from all over Europe and across the world where calling for Formula 1 to be banned. He acted rapidly and decisively by announcing rule changes which were aimed at improving safety. It worked like a charm, the politicians backed off. Todt comes in with excellent managerial skills, a willingness to delegate, loyalty, integrity and understanding.
For the first time in close to 20 years Flavio Briatore won’t be in any of the team’s pit stops. The 59-year-old Italian billionaire was at the forefront of the rise of a few stars and teams in Formula 1 — in the 90s with Michael Schumacher at Benetton and this decade with Fernando Alonso at Renault. He was released by Renault because he was involved in the crashgate scandal. He was later banned for life by FIA but has launched an appeal against his life ban, so don’t write him off yet.
Teams are also changing driver line-ups this season. Ferrari recently announced the capture of Alonso to partner Felipe Massa. This will trigger a merry-go-round of drivers as Kimi Raikkonen becomes a free agent and many are tipping him to move back to McLaren to partner Lewis Hamilton as McLaren are rumoured to be unhappy with Heikki Kovalainen. Raikkonen drove for McLaren previously between 2002-2006 were he won 9 races. The highly regarded Robert Kubica is moving to Renault from BMW Sauber to replace Alonso.
Another exciting rivalry in Formula 1 history is brewing with Alonso at Ferrari and Hamilton at McLaren. This pits the two best drivers in the world against each other. The rivalry has a chance to rise to heights of that between Alain Prost vs Senna and Schumacher vs Mika Hakkinen. Alonso’s year at McLaren as teammate to Hamilton was more like a year to forget for the two-time world champion. He was never comfortable when he joined McLaren but is believed to be the most complete driver in Formula 1 right now.
Then lastly, Brawn GP and Red Bull delivered this season. If they are able to replicate their form again next season we are in for more excitement. They have two impressive drivers in this season’s champion, Jenson Button, and the runner-up, Sebastian Vettel. The big guns, Ferrari and McLaren, will look to recover from this season were they have been off pace. With new driver line-ups and a new FIA presidency, the future of Formula 1 has never been so exciting.
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