Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey said that F1 "has no desire to emulate U.S. stock car racing," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. His comments were "in response to criticism" from Ferrari Chair Sergio Marchionne about "increasing standardization in the sport." Marchionne warned last week, after manufacturers were presented with proposals for a new engine from '21, that Ferrari "could walk away if it did not like the sport’s direction." He said, "I don’t want to play NASCAR globally." Carey, speaking on a Liberty Media third quarter earnings conference call, suggested Ferrari and F1's U.S.-based owner "were on the same page." He said, "Actually I don’t think we have a differing view to Ferrari. I'm not trying to be derogatory toward NASCAR, but we don’t plan to be NASCAR either. ... We want all the teams to have the ability to do what they do to create cars that are unique to them -- unique engines to them, unique bodies to them" (REUTERS, 11/9).
'SHOCK AND AWE': In London, John Collingridge reported Carey "has inherited a sport facing a multitude of challenges." TV audiences have fallen from 600 million to 400 million since '08. The podium "has been hogged by a handful of teams -- Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren -- leading to complaints that the pinnacle of motor racing has become boring." Meanwhile, "a string of smaller teams from Manor to HRT have fallen by the wayside," with the survivors "having to battle for money from a system that is stacked in favour of big rivals." Carey admitted there are “issues that need to be tackled." He said, "Right now the action on the track could be better. We’ve got a sport that lives on shock and awe. We’ve got to make sure shock and awe is about sound, power, speed." The 63-year-old was “no petrolhead” when he was recruited by Liberty Media Chair John Malone, "who is known as the Cable Cowboy for his TV operation." Carey follows the MLB N.Y. Yankees and the NFL N.Y. Giants. Rupert Murdoch "famously once described Carey as the person to replace him" if he "went under a bus." Known for his "calm manner and low-key approach, he was at Murdoch’s side throughout the phone-hacking inquiry." Questions about his personal life, "even what car he drives," are batted away. Carey: "I’m a private person." WPP CEO Martin Sorrell, a former F1 board member, said that Carey had brought a "very different vision" for F1. Sorrell: "His vision is broad, more digital and more U.S.-focused" (SUNDAY TIMES, 11/12).
CAUSE FOR CONCERN: In London, Matt Maltby reported Mercedes non-exec Chair Niki Lauda is "worried" about F1's future under Liberty Media -- and claimed "the drivers need to stop being protected 'as if they are babies.'" The sport's new owners "have come under criticism" after presenting their "road map" for the future to the 10 teams in Paris this month, which was met with skepticism "by the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari." Lauda "has concerns over the direction" Liberty wants to take the sport, "believing there is no need to change the current dynamic of F1 too much, and he doubts their plans to make the championship more exciting will work." He said, "I'm worried. It was right that the American owners needed time to understand what F1 is -- but that is about to expire. And what they think about the future is worrying me. ... Developing cars is one of the important foundations, as well as the bravery of the drivers. Instead, you want to penalize the best teams, and protect the drivers as if they are babies -- with the introduction of the halo for example." Lauda "does agree that the owners were right to push for cheaper engines, but the three-time world champion believes the wider issues lies elsewhere." He said, "I'm sure we will find a satisfactory compromise" (DAILY MAIL, 11/12).
