physio's

[Sonic]

So the drivers weren't on the grid walk today because Bernie thinks too many people are on the grid and has refused to grant them passes for their physio's.

What a freeking joke! Bernie's happy to pander to gods damn Victoria Beckham or some equally F1 ignorant celebs by giving them passes to stroll about the grid, so why not people who the drivers believe are important to their jobs.

Your opinions guys and gals?

[Saint Devote]

So the drivers weren't on the grid walk today because Bernie thinks too many people are on the grid and has refused to grant them passes for their physio's.

What a freeking joke! Bernie's happy to pander to gods damn Victoria Beckham or some equally F1 ignorant celebs by giving them passes to stroll about the grid, so why not people who the drivers believe are important to their jobs.

Your opinions guys and gals?

I disagree with Bernie and I support the drivers on this.

And when I see "celebrities" on the grid it reminds me really how F1 has left its fans behind compared to the days when the access was very different.

Although give a thought for SPEED viewers - our pre-race show was just the worst ever with canned interviews and ads galore. With Peter Windsor gone there was no grid interviews and no access at all. Even during the race the usual intelligent insight that was Windsor was absent.

[woody2goody]

I disagree with Bernie and I support the drivers on this.

And when I see "celebrities" on the grid it reminds me really how F1 has left its fans behind compared to the days when the access was very different.

Although give a thought for SPEED viewers - our pre-race show was just the worst ever with canned interviews and ads galore. With Peter Windsor gone there was no grid interviews and no access at all. Even during the race the usual intelligent insight that was Windsor was absent.

I'm not sure Windsor will show his face again for a while after the USF1 debacle. I don't think he'll be popular with people like Dave Richards.

Anyhoo, we all know Bernie doesn't always have things in perspective.

[AndyRAC]

For me last year when Ari Vatanen was not allowed on the grid was about the final straw - an FiA World Champion. Yet 'celebrities' with no business being there, were allowed. F1 is all style, and no substance - just like Bernie likes it.

[Dave B]

The joke was on Bernie, though. With all the drivers absenting themselves, his precious celebrities and politicians had nobody to pose for photos with.

What a stupid situation. Having a physio in attendance might look like vanity, but the drivers are sportsmen about to undergo some intense physical stress and it's important that they're properly prepared.

[Ddms]

With Peter Windsor gone there was no grid interviews and no access at all.

I miss PW too. But his absence has nothing to do with the fact that the drivers were on strike in defiance of Bernie's idiotic ruling about physios.
I don't know what Peter's current situation is, but Speed ought to move mountains in order to get him back.

The physio situation is just another symptom of Formula One's pitiful lack of accountability and checks and balances. Bernie and Jean Todt are allowed to do exactly as they please, so long as they don't challenge their FIA masters or impede the flow of cash to their corporate treasuries.

[Ddms]

Let's be clear. Peter Windsor desperately wanted USF1 to succeed, and it's unfair to make him a scapegoat. It did not fail for lack of trying on his part, or because of any sort of malfeasance. New enterprises always involve conditional promises - "If all goes well, you'll be on the podium in 2012." That's the nature of the thing.

[V12]

Bernie is constantly moaning about trying to make a better "show" for the "fans" and organising daft crap like rock concerts and so on.

I have a better idea. Can your irrelevant "entertainment" gimmicks and instead how about telling the grid-walk celebrities to take a hike and holding some sort of prize draw with ticket stubs where a lucky few actual fans get to walk the grid?

Not that it'll ever happen!

[christophulus]

The BBC managed to find some drivers to chat to by wandering down the back of the grid, talked to Kovalainen, Petrov etc. Plus Kovalainen said he got his girlfriend to swap her grid pass with his physio so he could come on the grid :)

[Garry Walker]

Who cares about the celebrities there? I for sure dont. In fact, when I see an interview with some celebrity, I change the channel, I am so disinterested in the crap that that person is saying.

I support the drivers 100% over this.