Following the Monaco Grand Prix, Bernie Ecclestone stated that he thought McLaren should have been banned for the rest of the season. The reason, Ron Dennis evidently telling Lewis Hamilton not to try overtaking Alonso. In my opinion that was the correct directive on a track where safe overtaking is virtually impossible. The McLaren drivers taking each other out would hardly have delighted their main sponsors, Mercedes Benz!
When Ferrari obviously told Barrichello to easy up, indeed virtually stop on the line, so as to allow Schumacher to win I can’t recall Bernie offering one word of criticism. And I don’t recall FIA boss Max Mosley offering critical comment!
On the grid at Monaco, Bernie was seen strolling around and holding court with none other than mega billionaire Chelsea owner Roman Abramovitch. When questioned Bernie advised Abramovitch was interested in F1 racing. I imagine it would be good to entice Abramovitch into F1 racing as Russia does not currently stage a Grand Prix.
Now Max Moseley has let it be known that he wanted McLaren banned for the rest of the 2007 F1 season and for the whole of the 2008 season. The FIA duly imposed a hefty $100million fine.
On 29 September 2007, a number of UK newspapers carried comments by Ecclestone in which he is reputed to have stated he would be delighted if the 2007 drivers championship was decided by Alonso and Hamilton involved in a mighty crash. This is from a man who rarely has any comment worth listening to when interviewed on the grid by Martin Brundell. I can only assume Mr Eccelstone has lost it, how else could you possibly describe a wish for two F1 cars to crash? Ecclestone thinks it would be great publicity for ‘his’ sport - rubbish, what comment would Ecclestone make if both drivers were severely injured……better publicity?
