More changes to FIA: ICA judges chosen by teams, too

Wednesday, the FIA announced, in more changes likely brought about by the leadership of new president Jean Todt, that the International Court of Appeals will now include judges “co-opted” by the Formula1 teams.

These judges will remain a minority on the ICA panel and will he held “to identical standards of independence and impartiality” as the other elected ICA judges.  According to the press release, “the ICA has taken this step to add to the existing reserve of knowledge and expertise, to allow for broader participation in the workings of the ICA, and to further enhance transparency and public confidence in the workings of the ICA.”  This change may or may not help with the various accusations of skulduggery and corruption leveled at Max Mosley and the FIA after recent decisions such as those in the McLaren spy and Renault race-fixing cases, but it is a step forward in the public relations realm.

One would presume that judges appointed or suggested by the teams (there is no particular definition of what the FIA means by “co-opted” except that they will be proposed by F1 teams to rule on F1-related cases) would have a greater understanding of the machinations of F1, and would therefore be more able to make appropriate decisions (similar to the addition of former F1 drivers to the on-site stewards).  However, this may not always be the case, especially when one judge or another comes under criticism for favoritism to one team or another.  Like many of the new changes to the FIA, this one has great potential, but may not work out quite the way it is hoped.  Still, with less proposed direct involvement in the day-to-day rulings of the FIA within F1, Jean Todt does seem to quietly be stepping away from the long shadow of Max Mosley so many had put him in during the election.