Formula One drivers demand change at top

FORMULA 1 drivers have demanded change at the top of the sport, saying its decisionmaking process is “obsolete and ill-structured”.

Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) directors Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Alex Wurz have written a letter on behalf of the drivers.

It urges the owners and stakeholders of Formula 1 to “restructure its governance”.

Many issues can be traced back to Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, but the letter does not mention the 85-year-old.

It claims that some recent decisions are “disruptive”, avoid “the bigger issues” and “could jeopardise F1’s success”.

Writing the letter is an extraordinary step by the drivers, which reflects the strength of their feelings on the matter. What are the drivers concerned about?

The GPDA has been careful not to single out specific issues, but collating recent remarks by many drivers and Wurz — and developments over the off-season — it seems likely they are referring to a number of issues. These are: Decisions on rule changes such as double points in 2014, changing the qualifying format and restricting radio communications for this year, and fundamental errors in the formulation of the turbo hybrid engine rules; plus ideas that have been discussed but not accepted such as weight handicaps, reverse grids and qualifying races;

The move towards pay TV, which is at the centre of declining audiences;

The failure of the strategy group of leading teams, Ecclestone and the governing body FIA to make significant progress in mapping out a clear direction on the sport’s future;

What is perceived to be an inequitable distribution of income, heavily skewed in favour of the top teams; and

Making a decision on Formula 1’s tyre supplier for financial reasons when many of the teams and drivers have misgivings about Pirelli.

The drivers said that the future direction and decisions of Formula 1, be they short- or long-term, sporting, technical or business-oriented, should be based on a clear master plan that should reflect the core principles and value of Formula 1.

“We need to ensure that Formula 1 remains a sport, a closely fought competition between the best drivers in extraordinary machines on the coolest race tracks.”

Wurz, a former Formula 1 LETTER WRITER: GPDA director Jenson Button EXTRAORDINARY STEP: Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel driver, told BBC Sport the GPDA “operates by majority vote” and added: “In this case, it was an extremely clear vote regarding the desire to express our opinion.”

He emphasised the letter is “not a kneejerk reaction” to the fiasco over the change of qualifying rules for the first race of the season.

“This statement was well-considered and planned between all drivers,” Wurz said.

The GPDA is careful to make the letter sound as reasoned and unconfrontational as possible. — bbc.com