FIA roundup: Brazil loses final race; former drivers as stewards

I don’t know if it is the Jean Todt effect, but this week’s FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting sure is shaking things up.

We’ve already heard about the proposed new points system. [I saw a report today that Jenson Button supports it; and why not, he would have won in 2009 by even more under the new points.]

Today, the FIA released several more interesting proposals, all from its release:

F1 Stewards

A smaller permanent group of F1 Stewards will sit with experienced former F1 drivers to provide a permanent panel of three FIA stewards, together with one steward representing the National Sporting Authority, to deal with F1 at each Grand Prix.

There will no longer be a non-voting Chairman and each group of stewards will elect their own Chairman amongst themselves for each race. Utilising video and radio exchanges they should aim to reach decisions very efficiently.

The current observer programme for F1 stewards will continue, and training, distribution of decisions, and an annual meeting will be encouraged to raise the quality of decisions in this permanent group.

That’s right, everyone! We will have Jacques Villenueve and Ralf Schumacher back in the sport!

Obviously, this one makes perfect sense as former drivers would have the perspective needed to determine whether an incident was a “racing” one or deserving of penalty.

I would have liked to have seen the addition of a Commissioner who was assigned to keep track of past decisions so they could be used as models, thus promoting consistency in ruling, but I guess I shouldn’t wish for the moon.

2010 FIA Formula One World Championship

14/3 BHR Bahrain
28/3 AUS Australia
4/4 MYS Malaysia
18/4 CHN China
9/5 ESP Spain
16/5 MCO Monaco
30/5 TUR Turkey
13/6 CAN Canada
27/6 ESP Europe (Valencia)
11/7 GBR Great Britain
25/7 DEU Germany
1/8 HUN Hungary
29/8 BEL Belgium
12/9 ITA Italy
26/9 SGP Singapore
10/10 JPN Japan
24/10 KOR Korea*
7/11 BRA Brazil
14/11 ARE Abu Dhabi

*Subject to the homologation of the circuit.
Note: The races in Australia and Abu Dhabi will start at 1700 local time, in Malaysia at 1600 local time, in Canada at 1200 local time, in Singapore at 2000 local time, and in Japan at 1500 local time.

Big news here is that Abu Dhabi, despite the emirate being in financial chaos, still has the influence to force Brazil off as the final race.

Here’s [kind of] hoping that Brazil is the race where the championships are decided, although with the new points system a driver is going to have to be 25 points in front heading into that last race.

WOMEN IN MOTOR SPORT

The FIA has created a Women & Motor Sport Commission (WMC). The aims of the WMC are to:

- Facilitate the full participation of women in all aspects of motor sport.
- Set in place strategies and policies that will promote the education and training of women in motor sport.
- Implement actions and events to allow the sharing of experiences and reflection on how to strengthen the participation of women (as athletes, officials and managers) in motor sport.
- Collaborate with international organisations on joint sports projects.

Former World Rally star driver Michèle Mouton has been appointed as President of the WMC.

The Commission will be made up of a further 10 members:

1 FIA Commission Manager
1 FIA Manufacturers’ representative
3 Representatives of National Sporting Authorities
1 Team Managers’ representative
1 Drivers’ representative
1 Representative of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
1 Project manager
1 FIA Communications’ representative

This is really just an excuse to mention Danica Patrick, and to boil some of your blood. :)

Seriously, it makes sense if the FIA wants to grow both its audience and its competitors. A group of upcoming female drivers could excite a whole new fan base. [I suggest to Todd we have our next Oversteer/Understeer among Grace, Laura and Victoria on whether this is a good idea.]

WORKING GROUPS

A mandate has been given to the F1 Sporting Working Group, a sub-committee of the F1 Commission made up of the FIA and F1 teams, to develop detailed proposals to improve the show. The Working Group will meet in January and make recommendations for the World Motor Sport Council to consider in advance of the 2010 F1 season.

Following the FIA Rally Forum, a Working Group has been created to produce a plan to develop rallying on a global level. The group is chaired by the FIA Deputy President for Sport and comprised of representatives from each category of stakeholders.

An Environment Working Group has been created, with representatives from the Environmentally Sustainable Motor Sport Commission and the Alternative Energies Commission. Together they will make environmental proposals for the FIA championships.

The FIA has created two sub-committees within the Manufacturers’ Commission, one for tyre manufacturers and another for fuel suppliers.

The Women in Motor Sport Commission has been created (detailed as above).

The notable group here is the “Show Improvement” one. The FIA wants its proposals in time for the 2010 season. So if you have any great ideas, you better start floating them soon.

I say at the tracks that we all know are lousy, like Valencia, the drivers get randomly assigned to cars. That should spice things up.