David Davis

Formula -1 is, in the final analysis, a quite libertarian sport. Not like the Stalinist collectivist flag-waving “olympics”, in which States pretend to idolize individuals, but don’t mean it at all, for there is no champagne or cups. The regulation bureaucrats, such as the “Regional Prime Minister of upper-Thuringia-Alsace” (er…I made it up, but he probably exists) troop on but are relegated mercifully to secondary supporting roles, like handing up the cup.

In the end, it’s this. It comes down to how good a driver or his engineers, or his computer-techies, are. I would like it to be cleaned up just only a little bit, so that we could have some more excitement while yet preserving the individuality.

Gerhard Berger, great guy, good driver, thinks this. I think so too. if the buggers want £300 million a year for a couple of engines and about 8 tyres and a driver and a petrol hose, then right now it’s not going to happen like before. Especially if half the banks who used to sponsor them don’t exist or are bust.

The whole sport should gird itself up, grit its teeth, and follow our new suggested model, which will both make it cheaper to enter and also more fun.