Jean Todt visits Daytona

[call_me_andrew]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/84981

He seems pretty out of touch with the status of sports car and OW racing in the United States. Without Nick Craw, the FIA would be screwed.

[Mark in Oshawa]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/84981

He seems pretty out of touch with the status of sports car and OW racing in the United States. Without Nick Craw, the FIA would be screwed.

He is out of touch to be sure, but that isn't a bad thing that FIA presidents have ignored American racing. Most of them would have only messed it up. Todt may be the first FIA president to take the time to learn about the American Racing culture which is totally alien to the European mindset.

I give him full marks for trying to learn more about NASCAR, and understanding Grand AM. He I am sure will have seen or has been to an ALMS race and likely understands that the two series should find a neutral ground at some point.

I just like the fact he took the time to come over and try to learn something. Jean Balestre or Max Mosely didn't give a rat's behind about most of what the FIA is supposed to be doing. Jean is looking beyond f1 with a good attitude and I think it is GREAT for racing...

[wedge]

Agreed

JT is afterall the big cheese in the world of racing and at least he's taking some interest.

The talk of 'synergy' is a bit worrying. The FIA created a gaping hole in endurance racing/LM in the early 90s.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Agreed

JT is afterall the big cheese in the world of racing and at least he's taking some interest.

The talk of 'synergy' is a bit worrying. The FIA created a gaping hole in endurance racing/LM in the early 90s.

They did that to protect F1. That was with Jean Marie Balestre running the FIA, who was a Machivillian like character at best. I don't see Todt as having any agenda that is harmful. Furthermore, lets face it, no one will be telling the France family what to do....

[call_me_andrew]

I've been contemplating the possibility that the FIA could copy the Sprint Cup rule book to create it's own "World Stock Car Championship", but that seems unlikely as the FIA would first have to find the Sprint Cup rule book. :p

[Mark in Oshawa]

I've been contemplating the possibility that the FIA could copy the Sprint Cup rule book to create it's own "World Stock Car Championship", but that seems unlikely as the FIA would first have to find the Sprint Cup rule book. :p

They do exist. You just wont get one at your local Barnes and Noble.

I think Todt is just the first FIA President to not look at American racing with a Jaundiced eye and has decided he needs to learn more about how things are done in North America, where it is the sport of the common man, not the rich man as f1 is in Europe....

[wedge]

To be fair to Max Mosley the FIA copied ideas from the US such as better implementation of the Safety Car in the 1990s and beyond and things like engine penalties

[call_me_andrew]

To be fair to Max Mosley the FIA copied ideas from the US such as better implementation of the Safety Car in the 1990s and beyond and things like engine penalties

Can you provide some specific examples? I'm pretty sure stealing the alternate tire idea was Bernie's work.

[Mark in Oshawa]

To be fair to Max Mosley the FIA copied ideas from the US such as better implementation of the Safety Car in the 1990s and beyond and things like engine penalties

Max I am sure just rubberstamped the proposals from his staff. Mosley was a big bag of wind who only worried about his next night at the S and M club might be cancelled.

There is a lot of things NASCAR does right, and there is a lot they could learn from the road racing world in Europe too...and up until Todt, I never got the impression the two worlds even looked at each other.

[wedge]

Can you provide some specific examples? I'm pretty sure stealing the alternate tire idea was Bernie's work.

From the top of my head:

Red/alternate tyres

Engine change/grid penalty

Push to pass/KERs

Safety Cars more likely, red flag much rare

Drive-thru penalties

[Mark in Oshawa]

From the top of my head:

Red/alternate tyres

Engine change/grid penalty

Push to pass/KERs

Safety Cars more likely, red flag much rare

Drive-thru penalties

The thing is, no one in F1 really wants to admit they stole those ideas from the IRL/CART and NASCAR...lol.

I find the culture of the FIA and European racing types is they have always been dismissive of North America and its racing culture, and then they think they can just show up with an f1 date and American will bow to their greatness. The sad reality is Americans look at most of the racing culture of Europe and dismiss it as being effete, elitist and stuck up. My vote is that the American's case for this is more accurate than the European view of racing over here BUT I do see what Todt as doing as a great step to clear up the misconceptions and admit there it a lot to be learned from either side of the Atlantic.

In short, If Todt can make the FIA relevent and useful for the racing bodies in America, that is a GREAT thing. Inversely, it wouldn't hurt NASCAR to look to Europe and learn there is another way to run a rail road.

Both sides have something to learn, and for too many years, no one has tried to bridge the gaps other than the folks in ALMS in their relationship with the ACO in LeMans.

[wedge]

The thing is, no one in F1 really wants to admit they stole those ideas from the IRL/CART and NASCAR...lol.

I find the culture of the FIA and European racing types is they have always been dismissive of North America and its racing culture, and then they think they can just show up with an f1 date and American will bow to their greatness. The sad reality is Americans look at most of the racing culture of Europe and dismiss it as being effete, elitist and stuck up. My vote is that the American's case for this is more accurate than the European view of racing over here BUT I do see what Todt as doing as a great step to clear up the misconceptions and admit there it a lot to be learned from either side of the Atlantic.

In short, If Todt can make the FIA relevent and useful for the racing bodies in America, that is a GREAT thing. Inversely, it wouldn't hurt NASCAR to look to Europe and learn there is another way to run a rail road.

FIA shouldn't intervene, IMO; IMSA, Indycar, NASCAR do a good enough job as it is. It's bad enough having Bernie but then again I would love to see the midget take on the likes of ISC and Bruton Smith!

The thing that really needs sorting is local yellow flags but that's something to do with insurance.

North America has its own culture which I fully respect. Europe is far too bureaucratic IMHO.

[Mark in Oshawa]

FIA shouldn't intervene, IMO; IMSA, Indycar, NASCAR do a good enough job as it is. It's bad enough having Bernie but then again I would love to see the midget take on the likes of ISC and Bruton Smith!

The thing that really needs sorting is local yellow flags but that's something to do with insurance.

North America has its own culture which I fully respect. Europe is far too bureaucratic IMHO.

Well Jean Todt seems to be an enlightened chap, who no doubt love to take Bernie down a notch himself. It may be why he is over in the US.

Europe has traditionally run just about every major sport on the globe but if you really take notice, the one place Europe's influence in sport is almost ignored, is in the US and in Canada. Why? For the reason you state (the bureaucratic style) and the sheer fact that we rebels over here on this continent really don't like the kleptocrats like Bernie or Max (or Sepp Blather or Octavio Chinquata or Anyone from the IOC for THAT matter) telling us we are stupid.......

[BobbyC]

FIA shouldn't intervene, IMO; IMSA, Indycar, NASCAR do a good enough job as it is. It's bad enough having Bernie but then again I would love to see the midget take on the likes of ISC and Bruton Smith!

The thing that really needs sorting is local yellow flags but that's something to do with insurance.

North America has its own culture which I fully respect. Europe is far too bureaucratic IMHO.

I agree on insurance. For years the motorsport insurance industry was run by racers who drove race cars. There's a respect of track marshals that yes, may result in more safety cars, but safety marshals are more likely it seems in the North America every circuit carries marshals in full-size six or eight-cylinder pickup trucks (petrol or diesel) that can barrel across every trouble situation with every piece of safety gear stowed in the back of two metre-long beds, ready to strike. That loaded pickup truck is a portable marshal's safety kit that can be used instantly and if the Hungaroring had one of those in the Massa incident it would have been much better.

And the bureaucracy of sport (as we saw in the World Cup) was one example why Sepp would never tolerate video replays. When TMO's in rugby are now prevalent, and LEGA A Basket determined its champion on instant replay, and both golf and tennis have replay challenges, what are they thinking?

Todt could seriously study how those pickup trucks could be used as a portable safety kit that could be placed easily and be used for serious marshal work. Safety cars work with those big trucks.