Global and Social Responsibility of Bernie Ecclestone

Let me get one thing out and off my chest before I go any further.  I live in Canada, Eastern Standard Time to be exact.  I am living five hours behind the average Formula One World.  this blog was actually written at 17:00 to 17:30 or 5:00- 5:30 EST on November 2nd.  Yes, it is posted on November 3rd. Pardon me for always being about a day behind but winter has arrived in Canada and it feels like it should start snowing in my spare room where the computer is.

“They do nothing for us,” Bernie Ecclestone told the Financial Times. “They are an embarrassment. We need to get rid of a few of those cripples. Richard should put some money in there (Virgin), shouldn't he? He could do what (Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz) has done and put some money in.”

Cripples? What is Bernie Ecclestone playing at?  When ever a new team enters into the paddock, the enter knowing that there is a long road ahead of them.  They understand that it is a year of learning and trying to prove their worth.  If it was not for these teams, there would be no future for Formula One.  We would have maybe five teams racing only and one of them wouldn't have been Red Bull.  No would we see the potential of teams like Force India or Toro Rosso. 

If Ecclestone had his way, we would see no growth, no undying commitment to succeed from the first year teams.  We wouldn't be able to see the realm of possibility for them.  We probably wouldn't even see any new applicants.  They would be there, but the general public would never know.  What would the sport come to without possibilities.

Seats would come at a premium and it wouldn't matter if they were a good driver or not, just how much they could pay.  So forget about the new teams, what about new drivers?  If Toro Rosso was never given the chance to participate we would not see the likes of Sebastian Vettel rise to the éclat he has a such a young age. And what about Robert Kubica?  What team in the new Formula One society would even consider allowing a Polish driver to test with them?  Every single driver on the track today started out as a no body on one of Bernie's 'crippled' teams.

If Formula One caved and no longer accepted new team applicants, the race would slowly die.  It would become stagnant and collapse.  It comes then to question, exactly how far would the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) bend to keep Formula One afloat?   What rules would they break?  A multi billion euro corporation with just as much in sponsorship would hold a lot of power you would think.  How would they use it if provoked?  This idea leads way to; with the amount of money spent on the sport each year, each fortnight, who is holding the FIA and WMSC accountable? Globally and Socially responsible for their actions?  Maybe instead of wanting to kick out the 'new kids' Bernie, you should be looking into ways that the sport that you hold shares in, is acting.  What could the FIA and Formula One be doing for the world, the country or even a single individual.  Maybe you should be looking at how they can account for their global and social responsibilities.