SPORTS> Feature and Column
A fixed race?
By Matthew MARSH (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-16 16:06

As a country famous for political scandals it should not have been surprising that the lead up to Italy's F1 Grand Prix was shrouded by controversy. With political peace only recently achieved, Formula One did not need the allegations of race fixing by the Renault team's recently sacked driver, Nelson Piquet Junior.

Data taken from Piquet's car after last year's Singapore Grand Prix seems to validate the 23-year-old's claim that his crash was planned. The ensuing safety car period helped his teammate, Fernando Alonso win the race. Renault's team principal, Flavio Briatore, retaliated to Piquet's accusations by announcing criminal proceedings for blackmail against him and his father (a former three-time world champion). Sadly the Italian also made insinuations about his former driver's private life which, somewhat ironically, served as a reminder of suggestions made by Piquet Sr about fellow Brazilian Ayrton Senna in the late 1980s.

Senna's death at Imola in 1994 was the last fatality at a Grand Prix but anyone who considers motor racing to be entirely safe is delusional. While there are plenty of people ready to defend Piquet Jr's sexual orientation it is hard to find any sympathy for the concept of crashing deliberately.

Putting aside the mortal danger he faced, debris from Piquet's car could have injured corners workers, spectators - or following drivers. If Piquet's immunity from prosecution was granted by the FIA on the grounds of diminished responsibility few would argue.

It is difficult to predict what will happen at the FIA World Motor Sport Council scheduled for Sep 21st (the week of this year's Singapore event). Some believe Briatore is in the firing line, having been one of the ringleaders of the team's revolt earlier this year against FIA president Max Mosley. Others suggest Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn will withdraw from F1 if Briatore's head rolls. Even with three new teams announced for 2010, F1 can do without a third motor manufacturer departing on the heels of Honda and BMW.

The FIA election scheduled for late October means 'crash-gate' will likely be the last high-profile case presided over by Mosley. What remains to be seen is how much influence the 69-year-old will retain. Some predict a Putin-Medvedev scenario with Mosley changing role but retaining power. He wrote to the FIA's member clubs (who will choose the new president) advising that his preferred successor is the former Scuderia Ferrari team principal, Jean Todt. Unsurprisingly this was frowned upon by the Frenchman's rival, Ari Vatanen. Furthermore, Mosley's communications director, Richard Wood, resigned his FIA post to manage Todt's campaign.

Additionally, there's some discomfort about Mosley's influence on one of the three new entries for the 2010 season. Manor GP's designer, Nick Wirth is a former business partner of Mosley whilst Alan Donnelly, the FIA president's representative at Grands Prix, appears to have helped find funding for the team.

In the jaded and cynical F1 paddock no one finds much of this surprising or unusual. However, in the context of the wider business world the sport needs to bring itself up to date with the modern era of transparency and accountability.

There seems little doubt Todt will be the next FIA president. The 63-year-old's uncompromising attitude has made him widely unpopular in F1. He could change that opinion and do real good for the sport if he chooses to use his power in the right way. He might just fix F1 - the right way.

The authors is a British driver based in Hong Kong. You may reach him at mmarsh@ecuriedrapeaujaune.com