Hamilton 'may be negative for F1'

[Fusen]

Hamilton 'may be negative for F1'

Hamilton has been a phenomenon in his first season in F1

Motorsport boss Max Mosley has said Lewis Hamilton could have a negative effect on Formula One if he is as successful next year as he was in 2007. "If he does the same thing next season as he's done this season, it will certainly have a big effect," he said.
"It will start to be negative because we'll get the Schumacher effect where people start writing to me saying can't you do something to slow him down."
Mosley added that Hamilton's role in revitalising F1 had been exaggerated.
606: DEBATE
What do you think of Mosley's remarks?
"He has certainly helped enormously in the UK," said Mosley, the president of governing body the FIA, in an interview with the BBC's Hardtalk programme.
"He's also got a lot of interest worldwide because he's come manifestly not from a rich background. He's just made it.
"There is always somebody new. If it wasn't him it would be either [Nico] Rosberg or [Robert] Kubica or one of the other new stars, a [Sebastian] Vettel, would suddenly be the big one.

It would be surprising if Hamilton didn't know something of what was going on [in spy-gate], but I've got absolutely no evidence that he had


Max Mosley (above)

"So I think there is a tendency to exaggerate the importance of Lewis Hamilton."
Mosley added that it was "very unlikely" that Hamilton would be installed as champion following a hearing next month into the results of the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix.
McLaren have appealed against the decision not to punish the Williams and BMW Sauber teams for having fuel that was too cold.
If McLaren are successful in having their three points-scoring drivers excluded, Hamilton could be moved up in the results to fourth, giving him enough points to displace Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen as world champion.
But Mosley said: "It could happen, absolutely, because this will go to a court of appeal.
"It consists of very senior lawyers who are not connected with any of the countries involved in the events, so not Britain, not Italy and so on. It's an independent court. It can decide.
"That said, it's very unlikely, because even if they excluded those cars they are not obliged to reclassify Hamilton. There's absolutely no need, if they don't wish to, to change the position that Hamilton was in."
Mosley described the 2007 season as "very positive, on the whole", despite the controversies that plagued the sport, because "although the behind-the-scenes stuff was annoying for us and the people concerned, for the public it really adds to the general interest".
There was a thrilling three-way title climax this season

One of those controversies was the "spy-gate" saga, when Hamilton's McLaren team were fined $100m (£49.2m) and thrown out of the constructors' championship after being found guilty of possessing confidential Ferrari technical information.
Mosley said McLaren's 2008 car would be closely scrutinised by the FIA to ensure the team had not included any Ferrari ideas on it.
"That [Ferrari data] was in the hands of the chief designer at precisely the moment he was designing the 2008 McLaren," Mosley said.
"The difficulty we have is that you're not going to find on the McLaren a part that was designed by Ferrari.
"What you may find are ideas and at this level of technology at this level of motorsport, if the idea is given to the chief designer he will make a component utilising that idea which bears no relation at all to the component perhaps being used by the other car.
"So we will be looking for the ideas. The investigation will be thorough, it will use outside experts and we will do everything we possibly can to make sure that either of the McLarens has no element of Ferrari intellectual property in it or if it does we will then have to consider taking some sort of action.
"That would not necessarily be preventing them from running. It would be more likely that they would be given a negative point allocation.
"Finding something will not be easy. On the other hand, there are sources we are going to deploy who will give us as good a chance as its possible to have to find it."
Asked if he thought Hamilton had known more about the Ferrari information being in McLaren's possession than has come out in public, Mosley said: "He's not a known quantity to me.
"It would be surprising if he didn't know something of what was going on, but I've got absolutely no evidence that he had. On that basis it would be wrong of me to suggest that he had."
Mosley's remarks are the latest in a series of provocative comments about McLaren this season.
The FIA president is known to have a difficult relationship with Dennis, dating back more than 20 years.

[BBK]

My christ what is it with F1 being anti Lewis? Before the Brazilian grand prix it was Ecclestone, now its Moseley. I find myself seriously wondering why they both want to see other drivers being successful? What are they so damn scared of?

[crashtestmac]

How can he bring a Schumacher type bordom back to the sport, i think that they are missing the important factor with all of this press.....

"He fucked up and did not win...." (By him i mean McLaron as well)

Crash

[4me2]

My christ what is it with F1 being anti Lewis? Before the Brazilian grand prix it was Ecclestone, now its Moseley. I find myself seriously wondering why they both want to see other drivers being successful? What are they so damn scared of?

Not cashing in on the backhanders from the Italian Mafia.

The President of FIA should not be airing his views on an ongoing courtcase/appeal.

He is obviousley trying to influence the outcome of the appeal instead of being neutral and keeping his senile gob shut.

[casio]

if the president of the fia has these kind of views and isnt displaying impartiality then its time he was replaced and a new investigation as to the fairness of the spying scandle outcome

[maverick_15]

It would be surprising if he didn't dislike Lewis Hamilton because his dad was Oswald Mosley who had some decidedly dubious views, but I've got absolutely no evidence that he does. On that basis it would be wrong of me to suggest that he does.

[BBK]

his dad was Oswald Mosley

well I never knew that! And whilst it is unfair to suggest that like father like son is true (I for one know my political beliefs are really quite different to my own fathers), it bloody well rings a few bells doesn't it!

[Waka]

It would be surprising if he didn't dislike Lewis Hamilton because his dad was Oswald Mosley who had some decidedly dubious views, but I've got absolutely no evidence that he does. On that basis it would be wrong of me to suggest that he does.

lol - love the parody of Mosely's words

Mosely really shouldn't be involved in F1 - he is a complete arse. What is job exactly?

W.

[casio]

hes the FIA president

[Fusen]

Retirement

In June 2004 Mosley announced that he would step down from his position in October of that year. However, in July 2004 he rescinded his decision after the FIA Senate called for him to stay on. His term expires in October 2009 although speculation remains that he will step down before that. Many insiders believe these are just part of a well crafted plan to strengthen his and Bernie Ecclestone's control over the sport. Mosley let it be known that he feels that Jean Todt should succeed him as president of the FIA when he steps down.[citation needed]

[edit] Criticism

After the controversial 2007 Formula One season, Sir Jackie Stewart has called for Mosley`s resignation accusing him of making decisions 'detrimental' to the sport.[2]

Mosley often appears to make personal attacks on people that have criticised him without directly naming the people that he is referring to. In recent times both Ron Dennis and Jackie Stewart have been attacked in this way.[3]

He has also been accused of having an anti-McLaren agenda, with his historically difficult relationship with Ron Dennis and his recent warning that continued success for Lewis Hamilton may be eventually be negative for Formula One.[4]

little bit of info from wikipedia

[Waka]

hes the FIA president

Yeah that's his title but what does the useless fecker actually DO?!

W.

[pattikins]

It would be surprising if he didn't dislike Lewis Hamilton because his dad was Oswald Mosley who had some decidedly dubious views, but I've got absolutely no evidence that he does. On that basis it would be wrong of me to suggest that he does.

His mum wasn't too clever either- Diana Mitford, was an aristocrat, just like her hubby, & died an unrepentant Nazi.

Whether Max Mosley shares or doesn't share his dad's politics, he clearly shares his aristocratic arrogance. Unfortunately the upper echelons of sport are still dominated by folk with titles or a dodgy past.