Ecclestone says Briatore paid Gribkowsky

F1 Fanatic round-up

4th August 2011, 0:014th August 2011, 8:16 | Written by Keith Collantine

In the round-up: Bernie Ecclestone says Flavio Briatore paid Gerhard Gribkowsky on his behalf.

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Comment of the day

An insight into how F1’s changed following the loss of free-to-air broadcasting from Slackbladd3r:

I sincerely believe pay TV was F1?��??s undoing in Finland. The popularity of the sport has declined dramatically here both in terms of viewers and general interest since it was moved from the free MTV3 channel to the pay channel MTV MAX from the 2007 season onwards, and not even Kimi Raikkonen’s 2007 championship was able to revive it. His later departure from F1 was just the final nail in the coffin.
It might of course help if [Heikki] Kovalainen drove something faster and more competitive than a four-wheel bicycle, but from the point of view of a “casual” viewer one of F1’s big selling points is still the live action, while the “free” post-race one-hour recaps we now get obviously have none of that appeal.
F1 may still be the most “popular” motorsports in Finland, but unfortunately that’s not saying much anymore.
Slackbladd3r

From the forum

Zadak asks where Land Speed Record attempt counts as a form of motorsport?

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Keith Collantine

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52 comments on “Ecclestone says Briatore paid Gribkowsky”

AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
4th August 2011, 8:29
Good to hear that the Indian track is on schedule. Of course, it’s still to be approved.
I could probably make the next Fan Forum (i’m going to the GP). If anyone thinks it may be worth someone from here paying a visit (and if it’s in easy access in Milan) I shall have a word with my mates to see if we can attend.
John H
4th August 2011, 8:29
Get well soon Ant!
On a serious note though, how are these crooks allowed to run the sport? It’s just one thing after the next. Concerned but powerless.
Eggry (@eggry)
4th August 2011, 8:29
Hamilton doesn’t need to rule out Ferrari opportunity. Opportunities should be always opened. It doesn’t necessarily mean he will go to Ferrari. I wonder anyone has reasonable reason to rule out any chance of move unless he’s Montezemolo or Dennis :) however I believe Hamilton’s Ferrari chance is very slim unless Alonso suffered from unexpected problem.
1. Eggry (@eggry)
  4th August 2011, 8:31
  Is Vicky Chandhok family of Karun?
  1. Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
    4th August 2011, 8:33
    Yep he’s Karun’s dad. He’s on the World Motor Sports Council and is president of India’s motor club, the FMSCI.
    1. Eggry (@eggry)
      4th August 2011, 8:36
      Whoah!
    2. MaroonJack (@maroonjack)
      4th August 2011, 9:41
      Parr misses the point entirely. Sky deal isn’t about “reducing costs”. It’s shifting the costs to the viewers!
      What’s next? “Let’s double F1 race ticket prices. Fans should support this, as it will cut costs for us!”
      Ridiculous.
      1. MaroonJack (@maroonjack)
        4th August 2011, 9:42
        Oops. I didn’t mean to post it as a reply…
    3. BasCB (@bascb)
      4th August 2011, 9:59
      Didn’t Mallya replace him on the WMSC last year or so though?
Icthyes (@icthyes)
4th August 2011, 8:33
As soon as I read it yesterday, I knew Slackbladd3r (great name btw) would get COTD and rightly so.
1. ajokay (@)
  4th August 2011, 9:52
  Props to anyone with a Blackadder themed name, especially if they’re not from the UK!
  1. Bigbadderboom
    4th August 2011, 20:23
    That’s Captain Slackbladder!!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th August 2011, 8:45
His later departure from F1 was just the final nail in the coffin.
That’s the problem with Formula 1 in a lot of coverage: popularity depends on the success of a local driver. If Formula 1 had remained on pay-per-view in Finland, Raikkonen’s departure would still have had the same effect. After all, look at the French Grand Prix – without a French driver, team or both, there is little public support to resurrect one of the oldest races in motorsporting history.
1. Randy
  4th August 2011, 9:50
  Same in Poland.
  After Kubica’s crash the viewing figures for 2011 has dropped by more than 50% (from about 2.1 mln avg in 2010 to less than 1m average in 2011).
  I suppose the viewing will skyrocket if Robert will make it to 2011 Brasilian GP – which i’m hugely hoping for, despite Renault’s recent form.
  I’m so annoyed however by the news of BBC dropping their coverage. F1 will lose in my eyes one of it’s most important worldwide aspects which is the magnificent panels before and after the sessions, forgive my pessimism but i somehow cannot imagine Sky can live up to that. Nevermind the riddiculous prices for F1 in UK TV which are higher than some F1 race tickets (Malaysia?).
  1. Joey-Poey (@joey-poey)
    4th August 2011, 14:57
    And then people wonder why it’s hard to win over more U.S. fans. We could certainly use someone closer to our hearts to cheer for!
2. Fixy (@)
  4th August 2011, 17:27
  People don’t knwo what they’re missing.
3. Mike
  5th August 2011, 0:08
  popularity depends on the success of a local driver.
  I think you are entirely wrong.
  Yes, it stands to reason that having a “local hero” to support is an incentive for casual fans. But to argue that it is more damaging to a at minimum four hundred and something price tag. Is ludicrous.
  I work in a supermarket. You know which milk sells the most? The cheap $2 milk. Why is that?
4. Patrickl
  6th August 2011, 22:52
  The point is that F1 viewers ran away even when their local hero became WDC.
  Let alone when people have to pay to watch the wins of some “German brat” driving a car that’s much faster than the rest for most of the season.
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
4th August 2011, 8:57
How fast was Mr Davidson going to do that sort of damage to his bike?! I hope he recovers quickly, a nice bloke!
1. bosyber (@bosyber)
  4th August 2011, 9:12
  A carbon bike is only strong in the direction of those forks etc., but more vulnerable to shattering (like it did here) upon a sideways impact.
  Still, wish him a good recovery, not a nice way to start your holiday. When is his next race with Peugeot?
  1. Ben Needham (@ben-n)
    4th August 2011, 9:34
    Admittedly I have minimal knowledge on cycling!
    Thanks for that, it does make sense!
    The next drive I can see he has is September 9th – so he has a nice relaxing month off to nurse his injury!
    1. ajokay (@)
      4th August 2011, 10:01
      Little over a month to recover from a broken collarbone in time for a 6 hour endurance LMP1 race at Silverstone…
      Can it be done? Sounds like it’s going to be touch and go!
      1. beneboy (@beneboy)
        4th August 2011, 13:22
        I don’t see why not, motorbike racers regularly break their collar bone and are back on track within a couple of weeks and in some cases the very next week.
2. Scary Terry (@hatebreeder)
  4th August 2011, 11:00
  Isnt anthony davidson the new stig? or rumoured to be the new stig?
  1. S.J.M (@sjm)
    4th August 2011, 13:37
    he’s dismissed it, but i suppose we’l have to wait for him to write a biography for 100% certainty..
    1. Scary Terry (@hatebreeder)
      4th August 2011, 13:41
      ooh then Top Gear will have another special USA episode where they “shoot him in the back!”
MaroonJack (@maroonjack)
4th August 2011, 9:27
I don’t have much respect for Bernie or Flavio at this point, but still, that’s very deceptive title. It suggests something completely different from what Ecclestone actually said.
“Ecclestone says Briatore paid Gribkowsky” suggests that the money came from Briatore and that he was directly involved.
Ecclestone said: “In no shape or form is Briatore involved in this” and “Briatore did me a favour and, far from being dragged into this, I told the German prosecutor about it. That is how his name has appeared.”
1. DaveW
  4th August 2011, 20:02
  These headlines can be a bit overdrawn but in this case it’s dead-on. Ecclestone is the one contradicting himself. Flav was not involved but he is the one who made the drop? Unless Briatiore thought he was delivering a box of brownies, and unless he got no benefit from the transaction besides a warm feeling in his heart (the likley first), it is accurate to say Briatore paid the (alleged) bribe, and a court is not likely to make the fine distinction Bernie suggests.
  1. bernification
    5th August 2011, 10:26
    Ecclestone really is a spineless piece of ****.
    He is basically saying, it is nothing to do with the person who I got involved and asked to take part in my illegallity. And I even fitted him up by telling you so. As Fat Flav is not involved in the sport, no further action can be taken (in F1 circles). Nice business partner.
    How can these crooks run our sport.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th August 2011, 9:31
Interesting COTD there. As F1 will never get much of having people meet up in a bar (not to mention the bars being occupied by the football fans, watching that on Sky at sunday afternoon), I think its clear this move will dampen the rise of viewership we have seen lately.
1. topdowntoedown (@topdowntoedown)
  4th August 2011, 10:13
  I might be tempted by some of the F1 Badger meetups at the Sports Café in London, now you come to mention it…
Deurmat
4th August 2011, 9:34
Not what I expected when I googled Vicky Chandhok > images. :’)
bananarama
4th August 2011, 10:40
What I am wondering ever since this Sky deal came up: how will the teams sponsors feel about that?! They pay the teams a substantial amount of money in order to be publicly exposed. There is a direct, measurable value in airtime and that is being reduced from one day to the next. Like all european countries the UK is an important market, but it might be easier to switch to some other sport now to get the exposure. The big teams probably will be in TV as much as before, but in a 75 minute highlight show, how much will we see the small teams there? How many highlights do they produce. I know Bernie doesn’t care for small teams but even he can’t be happy if they have to survive with reduced funding and “ruin the show” even more.
1. Eggry (@eggry)
  4th August 2011, 11:01
  Much greater sponsors than sponsors of certain team, such as LG, Santander, etc should reconsider benefit of their sponsorship too. I don’t know why Bernie and some people think it would help teams and the sports. Aren’t they one of the most direct money source of Bernie? How about new manufecturers or engine supplier? If I were a Volkswagen executive, now I would be pretty sure there’s no need to enter F1 because exposure is significantly reduced.
  1. bananarama
    4th August 2011, 12:13
    Well, this deal will maybe reduce the worldwide overall audience by maybe .. 2 or 3%. Of course they are among those with rather high income (not the highest of course since those would get themselves sky probably). It won’t affect sponsors much but some sponsors seem to have a particular interest in the UK and thelike. Sponsors for Williams and DiResta and of course McLaren might still be discontent (McLaren will keep its exposure though I’m sure).
    It won’t have a dramatic effect but it sure will have an effect and after all, this could be the start of a general move toward paytv .. and then there might be problems.
    1. Mike
      5th August 2011, 0:18
      Considering the UK is F1’s biggest market I think 2 or 3% is an understatement of some magnitude.
  2. verstappen (@verstappen)
    5th August 2011, 14:41
    I know that the longer your brand is on the Telly, the better that is, that’s the whole reasoning with sponsorship.
    Having said that, I’ve been thinking about football here in the Netherlands: A big hallmark television program is sunday’s studio sport which consist most of the time of summaries of all the major football matches (dutch ‘eredivisie’, Ajax, PSV etc). It’s a massive succesful program, which suffers all the problems the BBC summaries will have:
    – possibility to know the result before you watch the program,
    – not live,
    – only a summary.
    But the program is very, very succesfull. And for the hardcore fans, there’s ‘Eredivisielive’ a subscription to watch the games live.
    So, I think the Sky deal is bad for F1Fanatics, but for the casual fan, it might be a better deal. Think of it:
    – a nice edit with all the action compressed in 75 minutes,
    – a time slot in the evening, so you can do other things with your afternoon,
    – And as a bonus : All the ‘bore’ can be editted out!
    I think that if the BBC makes sure the summaries are of top quality and they find a suitable fixed slot, it good be big succes in attracting new (young) fans. And that should keep the sponsors happy.
    So, in my view it’s not entirely bad to try this concept out, as I know from my own experience it can be succesfull (I mean, the only football, except from World- or European Championships, I ever watched were summaries – if those weren’t there I wouldn’t have bothered at all).
    Now, I do wish all the F1F’s either to have Sky, or be able to find a good quality stream to view their races live, don’t misunderstand me, but maybe it’s better for the sport then you think.
Tom
4th August 2011, 11:58
All is not golden in India:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/8677352/Indian-Formula-One-Grand-Prix-create-village-rift.html
supernicebob (@supernicebob)
4th August 2011, 12:24
I really don’t understand Parr’s comment. I should think most fans are supportive of cost cutting if it does indeed result in more teams remaining in the sport. Having the fans pay more to watch the sport so the teams can get more TV revenue is not cost cutting.
1. John H
  4th August 2011, 12:47
  I was going to say that Adam Parr should think about how he got interested in F1 when he was young, and it was down to free to air coverage… however, it seems he went to Eton as a child so I’m sure he would have been able to afford pay-per-view. He’s also been an investment banker in the past. What a lovable career!
  (I’m sure he’s a nice bloke really)
  1. bernification
    5th August 2011, 10:30
    I’m sure he is, investment bankers only invest in ethical holdings, and fluffy kittens and the like.
    They’re ethics are, if it makes money, I don’t care if it kills, maims or scars.
2. Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
  4th August 2011, 13:31
  I should think most fans are supportive of cost cutting if it does indeed result in more teams remaining in the sport.
  Oh, they are supportive of cost cutting – but at the same time, they still want live and uninterrupted prime-time coverage for free.
  1. John H
    4th August 2011, 13:45
    How is us fans giving FOM more money to watch the races directly proportional to ‘cost cutting’ exactly PM? Please enlighten me.
    That’s only the case if we are not cost cutting.
    1. Mike
      5th August 2011, 0:24
      He seems to be trying to connect team budgets with TV rights… Like he thinks there is some sort of significant correlation.
      1. DVC
        5th August 2011, 22:52
        The teams get a share of media rights deals.
  2. bad_whippet
    4th August 2011, 18:59
    @ PM
    Long time lurker here; I’ve been looking at this site daily since the start of the 2008 season, yet rarely leave comment. I thoroughly enjoy the interaction between the regulars, the knowledge regularly on show and occasionaly, the wit (not to mention the actual articles Keith puts up of course).
    You’ve been posting on these boards for a while now and your nickname and avatar are probably known by a lot of people just like me.
    Problem is, I’ve gone from respecting what you had to say, to expecting a torrent of disagreement, pedantry, disagreement and more disagreement.
    All you seem to post these days, are replies that are seemingly trying to provoke reaction by disagreeing with the majority (case in point…).
    Seriously, it’s like you get a kick out of argueing the toss with people, just for arguements’ sake.
    No-one cares that you belonged to the ‘debate society’ at school/college/uni, just give it up.
    This Beeb business for example; why are us Brits whinging when Australia have never had every race live, for free? What’s our problem? Just get over it, yeah?
    You’re so misguided and far from the truth on this subject, you really should just keep your opinions to yourself for once.
    Now I know you’re going to go back over your old school notes, consult a thesaurus and post a beautifully constructed and well thought out reposte, but I’ll tell you now, I won’t be replying; the majority of people on here don’t want to read this cr@p, they just want F1 news, which I do.
    Out.
  3. bernification
    5th August 2011, 10:32
    Don’t worry, I’m sure Murdoch will corner the sport completely, and he’ll be sure to come and get all your ‘snags’ off your barby, to pay for your right to watch it.
zippyone (@zippyone)
4th August 2011, 14:51
`1
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
4th August 2011, 14:56
Hamilton better be where he is now,a team which lets both driver to fight it out there on track when teams like Ferrari & Red Bull will shout at you not to fight.
Also Adam Parr said that F1 needs more races per season
Hope Davidson recovers quickly,any idea how he got involved in the accident?
JUGNU (@jugnu)
4th August 2011, 17:29
Why Alonso wants more beatings from Hamilton? I am sure unlike Lewis he would not like to become his team mate again. That was Hamilton of 2007, a rookie who beat the reigning double World Champion. Hamilton of 2011 will beat Alonso very badly and will hurt his reputation a lot.
To me Alonso can never become the Best driver even if he wins 8 titles because of the 2007 season, he was beaten by a rookie.
BTW how Alonso is beating Massa hints at what a great car 2008 Ferrari was (that Massa finished only a point behind Hamilton) but Hamilton still beat Massa and reigning World Champion Kimi.
This year too, it would have been great to see Hamilton going against the reigning World Champion properly but RBR was and arguably still is just too fast, Mclaren made many strategy mistakes and their form fluctuated up and down a lot. Also Webber unlike last year didn’t steal many points from Vettel this year and allowed him to make a great lead. All this but still i think Hamilton and also Alonso will make this championship more interesting and will get more victories.
1. bananarama
  4th August 2011, 19:03
  bla bla bla bla bla bla .. oh, did you say something?!
  1. Mike
    5th August 2011, 0:51
    As fun as it is to pick on Alonso… Hamilton wouldn’t work at Ferrari. It just wouldn’t. I can’t see the team getting behind him like they do Alonso.