Photo credit: Unknown but sourced from classic-days.fr

Happy Birthday to Guy Ligier, founder of the Equipe Ligier F1 team, who’s 80 today! Guy was born in Vichy, France on 12th July 1930. Originally his sporting interest lay in rugby, in which he did rather well playing for the French national team, but then decided he was more of a racer, first on two wheels then soon enough on four. Guy initially raced sports cars before giving F1 a go during the 1960’s, but after two years without much success, he decided he was more suited to life outside the cockpit and so set about building a car and a team to go with it.

The Ligier car debuted in the shape of a Cosworth powered sports car in the early 70’s, coming second at Le Mans, before a bit of a chassis reworking and entering F1 in 1976. With a powerful V12 Matra engine bolted on the rear and Jacques Laffite at the controls, Guy’s team scored their first win in Sweden in 1977. This was one for the history books, in that this was the first time that a French car, with a French engine, with French Sponsorship, driven by a French driver had won an F1 Grand Prix. It’s just a shame that it wasn’t in France! Also, it was a shame that Guy didn’t attend the race and taste the French champagne!

Guy is looking rather comfortable in the driving seat in the picture above, taken at the end of the 1978 season, surrounded by team folk and drivers Jacques Laffite (casual on the left) and Patrick Depailler (smart on the right). More wins followed in 1979 and a runner up spot in the Constructor’s Championship in 1980 was the team’s finest hour, despite sticking a non-French Ford V8 on the back! Laffite came close to the driver’s title in 1981, just being squeezed out by Nelson Piquet Snr in the final race.

Over the years, Guy formed a business alliance with politicians François Mitterrand and Pierre Bérégovoy, and together they sought to bring the French GP to Magny-Cours, and build the Ligier HQ nearby, which was very handy. Then after a lull in results towards the late eighties and early nineties, Guy decided to sell the team to Cyril De Rouvre. Oddly enough, things soon picked up for Equipe Ligier, and with Olivier Panis at the wheel in 1996, he gave the team something to smile about in their final season by winning at Monaco. Heavy rain had washed most of the competitors away, and thankfully there were three drivers left to receive the trophies, one of them being for Panis! The team was soon sold to fellow Frenchman Alain Prost.

In 2000, the Ligier marque resurrected itself with a micro car, before returning to the race track in 2005, in the forms of an F3 car and a sports car. Aside from racing, Guy has built a construction empire with his friends in politics, and made a fortune in selling natural fertiliser! But he’ll always be remembered for those shiny blue racing cars that we know and love. Happy Birthday Guy!

© autosport

Flavio Briatore’s back in F1… or at least he could be after having his lifetime ban lifted.  He’s also been awarded 15,000 euro in compensation too.  Of course, this is a Formula 1 court case and no decision, outcome or conclusion can go unchallenged and it’s no surprise that now, as if the whole lie/crash/piquet-gate hasn’t gone on long enough, the Badger understands that the FIA are appealing the decision.  The point, we’re not sure… unless it’s just another way to keep the sport in the headlines.

A while ago, after his ban was announced, we ran an article asking for your Farewell Messages to Flavio, since his ban has now been lifted – are you happy – do you have any welcome back messages?!  We’ve asked Nelson Piquet what he thought of the outcome, but he’s yet to respond or must be away from his Twitter account.

UPDATE: It has also emerged that Pat Symonds’ five year ban has been lifted and he’s been given 5,000 euro in compensation.  At least the euro – pound conversion rate suits him well :)

For some reason, and we’re not sure how – Bernie Ecclestone is still (and rightly so) referred to as the “F1 Ringmaster” – when he’s fast approaching the age of 80… impressive to say the least, but it doesn’t necessarily means it’s correct… or does it?

Firstly, all those Bernie-haters out there, stop, look around and listen up – the sport we all enjoy wouldn’t exist or have anything like the global appeal and audience that it now enjoys without this one little, Andy Warhol lookalike at the controls.  We’re not quite sure how but he can be called a genius for taking what was literally some bright chaps with spanners building fast cars to race against each other on a Sunday afternoon with friends and family and friends watching from the track-side and making it a global spectacle with a bigger television audience than any other sporting event.  Impressive, especially when you consider the companies and brands involved in the sport – i.e. anyone who’s anyone either is or has been involved at some point.  Again, impressive.

The sport, in spite of the global economic downturn is still thriving with new sponsors joining and even new teams making an appearance for the 2010 season.  Sure some large companies have left, but that’s got more to do with the fact that they weren’t winning more than that they couldn’t afford it.  Impressive.

F1 has been dragged through the mud more than ever in recent years with massively public court cases and controversy – from the world’s biggest fines for McLaren’s Spygate involvement, Max Mosley’s alleged Nazi sexual acts, the rear diffuser argument and of course, the recent Flavio Briatore/Nelson Piquet Singapore Crashgate madness.  “dragged through the mud” is putting it lightly, yet somehow the sport carries on and seems largely unaffected by all the negative publicity.  Impressive.

So you get the idea – Bernie Ecclestone’s involvement in F1 is no doubt impressive and what we have today is nothing short of remarkable, but as with all great things – they must come to an end at some point and it seems that the time isn’t far away.  The Guardian newspaper recently ran an article on cheating in sport and to quote:

“the diabolical funhouse of Formula One – less a sport and more a portable never-ending after party on a yacht peopled by disco-dancing billionaires – which provided the second most jaw-dropping scandal of 2009… Briatore was banned for life but the sport continued to thrum and rev and guitar-solo along with barely a plucked eyebrow raised”

Posters at the 2009 British GP

From that, it’s clear that Barney Ronay isn’t a fan of F1, but his opinion is not an isolated one, it’s shared by many and it’s an image the sport needs to shake off if it’s to continue to flourish.  A breath of fresh air would do the sport good and maybe that could be the stepping down of Bernie – yes we respect you, but surely it’s time to sit back in your arm chair and try watching the sport from the other side of the bar, so to speak.  The recent debacle over the British GP is just one in the line of many silly arguments… over money and power, something that Ecclestone seems to love.

When you have a multi-billion dollar empire and you’re rich beyond your wildest dreams, surely it would be an idea to help out the empire that has made you rich and ensure the teams, circuits and people who make the sport happen get something back – and that includes the fans who are often conned into paying anything from £150 to £500 and more to attend a grand prix.  Yes, Abu Dhabi looked fabulous and worked well as the last race of the decade, but did anyone see the price of a ticket – no wonder the stands were full of corporate guests and celebrity enjoying a jolly and asking which one is Button, or which one is a Ferrari over glasses of champagne… it’s not quite right.

More so, recently there were meetings about F1 and it’s future in terms of audience appeal.  Finally it sounds like the folk at the top may have realised that the Internet exists and that people use it.  Apart from the sometimes flaky live timing on F1.com, which was introduced years ago F1 manages to completely ignore the whole world wide web.  Yes, there’s a website, but until 2009, it looked like a site from 1994.  Twitter is hardly new or ground-breaking, but is F1 officially involved, same question for Facebook and the plethora of other social media type shenanigans out there and it will always be a firm no.

Anyway, these recent meetings sounded positive, but don’t, for a single minute think that things are going to change for F1 overnight – like any other overgrown, out of date business model or public sector organisation, F1 is very good at talking about doing stuff, but not actually doing it (unless it’s a court case of course).  Losing Bernie Ecclestone would mark the end of a (very long) era, but the Badger can’t be alone in thinking that if we lost the old, out-dated management and injected some level-headed, yet enthusiastic and open-minded youth at the top of the tree, we may see a more exciting, engaging and accessible sport for all to enjoy.  Just a thought…

Time to see the back of Bernie?

So, are we all in agreement that, even if you don’t like him, Bernie has done a terrific job?  Good.  Now, we’re not alone in having the idea that Bernie stepping down would be a good idea, so rather than debate that – how about we come up with a list of “if I owned Formula One I would…” – yes, that’s right – the Badger is giving you the chance to be in charge of F1…

Imagine you were given the chance to lead the sport in a new direction, as part of a ideas group to replace Bernie “What’s the Internet?” Ecclestone – what would you come up with?

It has had some pretty tough competition, but 2009 will be remembered as the fieriest season in recent years. With Lie-Gate, the threat of a breakaway series and the infamous Crash-Gate, Formula One’s political infighting reached an all time high during the past year. Not that it hasn’t been a fantastic yarn or damned exciting from an outsider’s perspective, but F1 has lost, very sadly, some key figures that lent more than a little magic to this greatest of racing series.

Dennis’ cards had been marked, for sometime, and it was little surprise that he made the announcement, during the launch of the MP4-24, to step down from his role as team principal. However, following Mosley’s misplaced sense of duty to rid the sport of sleaze, during the fallout of Lie-Gate, the greatly respected figure that had headed up McLaren’s operations for almost three decades, was apparently banned from the paddock altogether. What ensued was not the publicly drawn-out execution of an F1 celebrity like Flavio Briatore, but a more measured and targeted attack, operating in the shadows, and judged by many, to be an expression of Mosley’s anger over the News of the World expose of his private life.

Yet, truth be told, connections linking Dennis to the revelations about Mosley’s sex life were altogether baseless as an association between an earlier courtroom battle involving Rupert Murdoch’s media empire News Corporation and Max Mosley surfaced. All in all, the News of the World inspired headline “F1 boss has sick Nazi orgy with 5 hookers” was apparently just revenge by the Murdoch owned NOTW. Shame.

So why does Mosley detest the McLaren man so deeply? Well, as suggested by the respected F1 journalist, Joe Saward, a rumour still persists that the mutual dislike has simmered ever since a paddock encounter saw a disagreement over the correct etiquette for the use of knives and forks. Knowing F1, this may or may not be true, but it most certainly, probably is. The only certainty is that for longer than I have been alive, the pair has exchanged letters in thinly veiled attempts to publicly belittle each other, with the most famous incident occurring in Sepang, during the 2000 Malaysian Grand Prix.

“You do a lot of damage when, as a team principal, you constantly suggest that the F1 World Championship is not fairly run,” was Mosley’s eloquently cured response to the then recent comments made by Dennis regarding the impartiality of the FIA and its appointed stewards and officials. Interestingly enough, almost a decade on, and the allegations persist as to the governing body’s ability to rule fairly, and in the ever-present irony of F1, it would appear that this question of neutrality was Dennis’s downfall.

Aside from this rather explicit fighting with Mosley, Dennis was a largely divisive figure. Though always respected, Ron Dennis polarised opinions because of his “my way or the high way” attitude to team management that saw a savage and much-publicised fall-out as recently as 2007 with Spanish favourite and Nandos Chicken endorser Fernando Alonso. Any rumours of favouritism, were quickly quashed by Woking’s crack team of PR guru’s, yet nothing could be done to quell this particular anecdotal gem of David Coulthard’s, in his autobiography ‘It Is What It Is’,

“The first sign that there might be specific favouritism towards Mika came in Melbourne 1996, I was with my race engineer and Mika was chatting to his.”

“The door opened and Ron walked in. I stood up to shake his hand and Ron ignored me. Instead he strode over to sit next to Mika and said, ‘What’s the plan (for the race), guys?’ We all listened to Mika’s plans and then Ron said, ‘OK, what are they doing?’

“Here was my team principal talking about me as if I was a rival team. ‘They’ is not a word you use in a team situation, surely?”

The experience seemed to match perfectly with what Fernando Alonso had described, and brought fresh questions regarding Dennis’ suitability as a team principal. Yet despite it all, Dennis will remain one of the most capable and visionary leaders in Formula One. Seeing him downed was the first, but certainly not the last act in Max Mosley’s political swansong.

“I think that Flavio Briatore sees himself as the Bernie [Ecclestone of the new series].” This was the sentiment echoed during Jake Humphrey’s now infamous interview with Max Mosley. It was as clear a sentiment as any as to whom the president of the FIA should direct his anger following the threat of a breakaway. Though not in name, Flavio Briatore behaved as the new ringleader for the proposed faction and this certainly ensured he was in the firing line when Max came knocking.

Fresh from delivering the head of Dennis, Mosley was now on the warpath with F1’s newest aggressor. This time, events outside of his control were to guarantee that arch-enemy Briatore’s downfall was all but signed. The story of Crashgate has many faces, and whether you regard it with mock disdain or real horror, there is no undervaluing the impact it has had both within and outside Formula One. Briatore’s punishment was swift and by all accounts harsh considering the involvement and subsequent lack of penalisation for Piquet Jr.

His colour and flair for business were the perfect accompaniment to Bernie Ecclestone’s determination to turn F1 into a global industry. Without Schumacher, whose career Briatore helped launch into the spotlight with two World Championships after a well-placed poach from Jordan, the commercial success of Formula One could well have been vastly different. Not that Flavio’s eye for talent was always so effectual, with some of his past driver choices springing to mind, yet entertainment was always at the forefront of his decisions, as clearly demonstrated by that fetching thong.

In all seriousness, Mosley’s last actions as president were to guarantee some very positive economic steps towards self-sufficiency for Formula One, yet his very-public personal vendettas cost the series some of its greatest characters and nearly, with little exaggeration, its very existence.

‘Well young man,’ Enzo Ferrari asked, ‘how much do you need to be content?’ This was the question posed to a surprised Gilles Villeneuve in his first meeting with Enzo, after he’d been summoned by phone from his home near Quebec, Canada. Who knows what financial deal was done, but here started a relationship that became the stuff of legend! Gilles (father of 1997 Champion Jacques) had been recommended to Enzo by Walter Wolf, a Canadian construction and oil tycoon who also ran his own F1 team. But Gilles wasn’t an altogether unknown entity, as he’d raced for McLaren on one occasion at Silverstone earlier in 1977, due to have been ’spotted’ by James Hunt disappearing into the distance in a Formula Atlantic race, at the end of 1976.

As Niki Lauda’s replacement at Ferrari, Enzo was taking a risk on a relatively inexperienced driver like Gilles, but then he’d taken a risk with Lauda and had successes with him, so with that foresight he decided to take a chance with the petite French-Canadian. Enzo Ferrari had been in the game since he had raced cars himself in the 1920’s, before going on to build his motor empire, so he knew what signs to look for in a driver. Gilles’ early races were mixed; he lead two races, he had spectacular shunts, he made errors and his car had problems with tyres. The Italian press questioned Gilles Villeneuve’s right to drive the red car, but their doubts were silenced when he won his first race at his home circuit in Montreal at the end of 1978.

Early in 1979, and with a fine car beneath him, Gilles Villeneuve was in top form and scored victories in South Africa and America, along with the non championship ‘Race Of Champions’ at Brands Hatch. Three wins in a row and leading the driver’s championship ain’t bad, thought Enzo, and he seriously thought about letting Gilles race for the title. This sounds odd, but he’d already signed the more experienced Jody Scheckter as number one driver. As the season progressed Scheckter gathered points with two victories and was on the verge of becoming world champion. All he had to do was stay ahead of Gilles at Monza and he would have the crown. Scheckter’s number one status was to be honoured and so like the true gent that he was, Gilles drove round for 50 laps almost attached to Scheckter’s gearbox, knowing that he could easily overtake him and get the victory and so stay in the title race. Enzo Ferrari was a tough man to impress, and even after winning the world championship, Mr Scheckter hadn’t endeared himself to Mr Ferrari. Jody Scheckter received no congratulatory telegram, phone call or gift!

However, Enzo’s and Gilles’ bond grew stronger, in a sort of grandfather to grandson kind of way. This could be compared to Flavio Briatore’s and Fernando Alonso’s relationship in modern times, or Ron Dennis and Lewis Hamilton for that matter. Enzo enjoyed Gilles’ attacking style of racing, always pushing the car to the limit to get the result. In actual fact Gilles was something of a car-breaker, damaging his machinery regularly in his pursuit of glory. But Enzo laughed about it, knowing that the spectacle that Gilles was, went towards building an endearing worldwide following and a strong close-knit team. On one occasion, in Holland in fact, Gilles suffered a tyre blow out whilst in second position, and spun off at the first corner. After reversing out of the catch fencing and back on to the track, he drove at high speed on 3 wheels for nearly a full lap back to the pits, as his car disintegrated around him. As another show of skill, he drove back with only one hand on the steering wheel, whilst the other was raised high as a warning signal that he was slow on track! With his right front wheel lifted into the air, the Ferrari was now driving with just two wheels in touch with the tarmac! Once back in his pit, he demanded that the wheel and suspension to be fixed immediately! It took some persuading by the pit crew that the car was beyond repair and that Gilles was out of the race!

In the years that followed, whatever car that came out of Enzo’s factory -be it good or bad, Gilles drove it 100% and never complained, for he just loved to race. The rest of the F1 paddock were amazed on many occasions at how Gilles turned a dog of a car in to a winner, by wringing it’s neck like a stock car at a dirt track! And Enzo enjoyed every minute of it, as a legend had been created.

The photo above was taken at Imola in 1979, during practice for the F1 non-championship race – Dino Ferrari Grand Prix. Gilles, in relaxed mood, stuck his Ferrari on pole, but came a cropper during the race -bending his front wing, whilst sparring for the lead with Lauda’s Brabham. After a swift pit stop, Gilles rejoined and finished seventh. Again during an average race, he had provided most of the entertainment!

The image here captures the two men sharing a drink and a joke -perhaps about Gilles’ flamboyant antics on track, maybe, just maybe, about his 3-wheeled incident in Holland three weeks earlier, that had given the world a lot to smile about!

Photo credit: Giampietro Sanna.

On the face of it, the average Formula One fan can’t distinguish between the machinery present within a modern F1 chassis and that of a GP2 car.  The problem of “hidden technology” is a well-documented issue with the contemporary sport and many high-profile figures in and outside of the paddock have commented on this.  Flavio Briatore, having nurtured the careers of Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso is one of the best-placed personalities to make these detractions.  Understanding that people come to Formula One to watch exciting racing and not the advancement of lightweight composites and aerodynamic developments, Briatore was, love him or loathe him, always on the look out for ways in which to make the sport more interesting.

In the twenty-one years since entering the sport as managing director of the fledgling Benetton Formula Ltd. (formerly Toleman), Briatore has rarely been far from the centre of controversy.  Helping to transform the sport into the culture of a celebrity circus, Briatore’s raison d’etre was fortune and privilege, from the word go.  Any criticisms that this Italian was a fish out of water were soon forgotten or quickly hushed as he along with engineer Tom Walkinshaw stole the prize of Jordan; Michael Schumacher, away from the team after just his first race in 1991.  Winning the World Driver’s Championsip in ‘94 put Benetton in the history books, but perhaps more importantly, it cemented Flavio Briatore’s position as one of the key players in Formula One alongside the likes of Ron Dennis and Luca di Montezemolo and saw him second only to Bernie Ecclestone.

Despite the name “Briatore” being spoken with fear, reverence and scorn in equal measure within the Formula One paddock, it was until a few weeks ago relatively unknown in a wider context.  Obviously, the imaginatively dubbed Crashgate changed everything.  But, surprisingly, it wasn’t the first time that Flavio was the centre of accusations relating to cheating.

The first time; the year in which Schumacher won his first World Championship, Benetton were embroiled in a saga that left little lasting damage but resulted in a two race ban for the German and a fine of $500,000 was awarded to the team.  Though never officially clarified, Benetton were found guilty of having fitted a selective electronic aid that behaved in a manner to provide traction control; a system outlawed at the end of the 1993 season.  This case was instigated by Schumacher’s refusal to obey a black flag during the British Grand Prix in 1994 subsequent to overtaking Damon Hill on the parade lap.  Schumacher’s start off the line along with Benetton’s withholdal of key specs on their engine management system to the FIA heightened suspicions that the Benetton F1 team were indeed using traction control and a subsequent investigation resulted in a further $100,000 penalty.

Yet the allegations in 1994 were nothing compared to the underhand practices that nearly saw the sport buckle with the near loss of two huge names in Renault and McLaren.  Spygate, a veritable case of fiction meets reality sparked massive controversy not least because the Renault F1 team appeared to get off scot-free.  Despite findings and a guilty verdict that proved information relating to the McLaren 2006 and 2007 cars was in the possession of key ING Renault team members during the 2007 season, the World Motor Sport Council issued no punishment.  In the context of the €100m fine for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, the insult was clear and discord was rampant as fans took up their positions along the fence.  However, no harmony was afforded by a resolutely unchastened  Briatore who hit out at then McLaren team principal Ron Dennis, proclaiming, “Here is a team that acquired an advantage illegally.  Ron Dennis… was the one who protested us on the mass damper. He is not the immaculate saint he pretends to be on his statements.”

Certainly, this was not a moment to hold one’s head high, allowing as it did for later allegations of arrogance and conceit by Nelson Piquet Jr to be more readily accepted amongst some in Formula One.

Yet for fans of Briatore, the injustice is surely that these incidents were in the context of widespread underhandedness in the infamously murky world of Formula One.  Prior to the allegations made against Benetton in the case of using electronic aids, Ferrari were momentarily caught up in similar claims following a soon-hushed confession by then test-driver Nicola Larini that he had used traction aids during the Pacific Grand Prix.

In the context of Crash-gate and following an initial outcry, the more reasoned within Formula One have now begun presenting anecdotal, yet balanced evidence that cheating and to a great extent, race-fixing, has been a fundamental part of this sport for more than three-quarters of a century.

The success of Formula One will always be judged on the excitement, tension and chaos that is created on track.  It’s simply never been the case that people have remarked on a race with no drama that “at least everyone played by the rules”.  Briatore’s hand has lurked behind some of the most infamous cases of contempt for the rules in the history of motor racing, yet at the same time, it has created the most intense interest, furore and excitement in Formula One anywhere between the track and the back pages.  The simple fact is, that the Wacky Races will just not be the same without Dick Dastardly.

If you would like to know more about Mr Briatore then have a gander at our profile of him from earlier this year, he’s not all bad.

As a sign of respect for the great man, we’d like to collect your farewell messages for Flavio, leave them in the comments below.

(this is not a real photograph, ahem)

Not satisfied with simply slagging off the Brawn GP drivers, he hatched a cunning plan to destroy the whole team by cutting off its money supplies. We kid you not! He has proposed that Brawn GP should not receive any money from television rights this year because technically they’re a ‘new’ team and the money was only due to the now-defunct Honda Racing team. And just to rub salt into the wounds he then also suggested that Brawn GP shouldn’t receive any money towards transport costs because such sums are only guaranteed for established teams. Watch this space…. But for now let’s have a brief delve into the world of Fiery-Flavio….

Born near the Italian city Turin, famous for cars and the Italian Job, Flavio started in F1 as Benetton’s Commercial Director in 1989 (20 years of F1 Flavio fun!) After becoming Team Principal in 1991 he managed to wrangle a young Michael Schumacher out of the contractual clutches of Mercedes and Jordan in order for him to drive for Benetton. By 1994 Schumacher had won his first championship, and in 1995 he did it again also helping bring home the constructors’ trophy for Benetton to the delight of Briatore. Schumacher left for Ferrari in 1996, and Flavio was fired from the Benetton team in 1997. For a few years he supplied engines to F1 teams, until Renault bought the Benetton team in 2000 and got Briatore back in the game. Spotting another young talent in the form of Fernando Alonso, together they took both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ trophies in 2005 and 2006. Renault have pretty much been in the doldrums since then, despite regaining Alonso after his excursion to McLaren in 2007.

Look at all my cups: How Flavio pulls the ladies?

So, what do Naomi Campbell, Heidi Klum, and Bruce Willis’ current wife all have in common? That’s right… ladies-man Flavio Briatore! Forget about putting Lynx on guys, just become an F1 Team Principal and you’re sorted, apparently. According to Flavio’s rather amusing website (www.flaviobriatore.it), his “hobby is to create and develop new business, create news jobs and opportunities, face new and exciting challenges.” In fact, he co-owns the Queens Park Rangers football team with none other than Bernie Ecclestone! Bizarre.

In the words of the man himself: “Formula One is not just about sport and technology. What attracts people is the glamour, the lifestyle, the drama.” F1 would certainly be a lot less entertaining without the flamboyant Italian, which is why at Badger we secretly think Flavio is bloody brilliant.