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What did Bernie Ecclestone meant when he drummed up that vettel wasn't a very good world champion?

This was a very interesting read from PF1:

Q: (Gary Chappell – Daily Express) Sebastian, according to Bernie Ecclestone, you weren’t a very good World Champion, you didn’t represent the sport very well, at least, not as good as Lewis Hamilton. How hurtful are those comments and what’s your opinion of them?

SV: Well, I think he’s free to say what he wants so it’s fine. For me, I’m very happy with what I have achieved so far and looking forward to what might be coming and that’s it.

JB: Maybe it’s because you’re not on Twitter.

SV: Yeah, is Bernie on Twitter then? I don’t know.

JB: I didn’t think he was into that social media stuff.

SV: Wonder how he knows, then?

I liked the way Vettel answered Buttons pokes!

Because Bernie is now under the impression that to be a good WDC you need to mile with celebrities and wear lots of nice jewellery.

No joke. He actually said something similar.

All this despite a few years ago claiming Vettel was the perfect WDC because he didn't act like a celebrity, he acted like a racing driver. Bernie is a nincompoop.

How does one be a 'good' World Champion, then?

I'm guessing he said the same about Kimi in '08?

Women wear nice jewellery than men, is this the reason he is thinking of all female F1.

Laura23 wrote:Because Bernie is now under the impression that to be a good WDC you need to mile with celebrities and wear lots of nice jewellery.

No joke. He actually said something similar.

All this despite a few years ago claiming Vettel was the perfect WDC because he didn't act like a celebrity, he acted like a racing driver. Bernie is a nincompoop.

Did you read the article the questions came from? He mentioned Vettels criticism of the sport and Hamiltons work with charities.

pubpokerplayer wrote:

Laura23 wrote:Because Bernie is now under the impression that to be a good WDC you need to mile with celebrities and wear lots of nice jewellery.

No joke. He actually said something similar.

All this despite a few years ago claiming Vettel was the perfect WDC because he didn't act like a celebrity, he acted like a racing driver. Bernie is a nincompoop.

Did you read the article the questions came from? He mentioned Vettels criticism of the sport and Hamiltons work with charities.

I found this. Is there more? Because this doesn't mention charities:

Lewis Hamilton is the greatest Formula One champion there has ever been, according to the sport’s chief executive, Bernie Ecclestone, who also criticised the four-times winner Sebastian Vettel for not being good enough.

Ecclestone, who was referring to the driver’s ability to promote the sport as well as his talent in the car, said: “Lewis has been the best world champion we’ve had. Apart from the fact he’s talented, he’s a good guy, he gets out on the street and supports and promotes Formula One.”

When someone pointed out that Hamilton sometimes spoke impulsively, Ecclestone replied: “It doesn’t matter, it’s always good whatever he says, even if it’s silly. It’s great for the sport.

“I told Sebastian: ‘You should be doing what he’s doing.’ Doing the job of world champion. He was the champion and got paid money for that, and these guys think their only job is racing a racing car. It goes a bit further than that.

“What these guys don’t think about is that today Jackie Stewart is still making quite a bit of money and he hasn’t been in a car for quite a few years. It works because he’s looked after his image and he still does a good job. Perhaps these guys think when they stop ‘that’ll be it.’”

MistaVega23 wrote:How does one be a 'good' World Champion, then?

I'm guessing he said the same about Kimi in '08?

He did actually

Wasn't one of Lewis's frustrations in his Maclaren contract was all the promotional events.
So is he doing it because he wants to or is it because he is contracted to.

Anyway Vettel handled Bernie's comments well, He will win the battle of the witts with most people in and around F1

*Red Bull wasn't a very good champion.

I am starting to think Bernie is a secret woman - he certainly changes his mind like one

On a more serious point, every individual is different. Vettel strikes me as a private person, who likes to leave his social life out of the media. Lewis embraces the media more in that respect. Different strokes for different folks. Just because Vettel is not someone who likes embracing media, that doesn't make him a bad champion.

Bernie is entitled to his opinion of course, but I disagree with him. Nothing new there then.

I think Bernie just likes stoking things up. Pretty sure Schumacher had a far greater public presence than any of today's grid.

But I'm not sure what he thinks Lewis has done that e.g. Vettel didn't? Are there examples of Lewis actively promoting F1 as WDC in a way that none of his predecessors did? I mean, he's only been WDC for a few months so shouldn't be hard to find!

pubpokerplayer wrote:

Laura23 wrote:Because Bernie is now under the impression that to be a good WDC you need to mile with celebrities and wear lots of nice jewellery.

No joke. He actually said something similar.

All this despite a few years ago claiming Vettel was the perfect WDC because he didn't act like a celebrity, he acted like a racing driver. Bernie is a nincompoop.

Did you read the article the questions came from? He mentioned Vettels criticism of the sport and Hamiltons work with charities.

Vettel's criticism of the sport is but a fraction of Bernie's criticism, and it is even in line with it. Vettel criticised the sound (so did and so does Bernie) and expressed his dislike of the present PU formula, wishing to go back to V8 or V10 powerful engines. And Bernie just came out with his accusation that Toto is killing F1 by not allowing change, and that he, Bernie, will do what in his power to see the change happening back to those engines.

Plently of articles and interviews around the place about this; but the mds quote sums it up pretty well.

The charity work has been highlighted elsewhere. Plenty do charity but being a charity ambassador is more high profile requiring a bit more commitment and having to spend time on the projects. Both Hamilton and Alonso are high profile ambassadors. Not sure of the latest contract but Hamilton for example had reduced commitments on the wed/thur prior to a GP to carry out duties within the country concerned. Rosberg accompanied him on the majority of them. Setting aside the primary reason; all good for F1 and its profile.

As for the smiles and jewellery. A certain truth in this as Ive seen criticism on here and elsewhere for that. For example.
The company he keeps and gangsta lifestyle-on the week he attended the White House
Photographed with a women on his arms at a party-AIDS Foundation charity do, and the women was one of the stars of the Fast & Furious franchise; who have indicated they want Hamilton in the franchise.
Along with Alonso criticised for taking selfies/pics on the podium and elsewhere-pics were for a charity fundraiser.

So yes, I can see why Bernie thinks all that is good publicity for F1. I'm sure Wolff said similar things when he said that Hamiltons first day off from WDC PR was Dec 18th. Hamilton said at the post AD final that he would do as much as he could as a 'payback' for the season.

All WDCs handle themselves differently; because they are all different. I don't see one being better than the other at selling the sport. Although I think in this regard Senna was a bit special.

Notwithstanding all that, I think my response to BE would be yes, the WDCs are there to help sell F1. But the main responsibility to sell the thing is down to you; and it has to said, youre doing a cr@p job of it lately.

Bernie isn't wrong, he is clearly talking from a marketing perspective looking at the context of the quote and Hamilton is a thousand times more marketable than Vettel, particularly to a young audience.

Obviously that doesn't make Vettel a "bad" champion, but that is the headline most have run with as it sells.

He's right from a marketing standpoint. Vettel is a private individual so away from the racetrack, he isn't going to be doing a lot of promotion of F1, but it doesn't make him a bad champion by any means.

But it's Bernie, I'm not sure he believes half the stuff he says. Just the other day he accused Toto of helping to kill F1.

mcdo wrote:

MistaVega23 wrote:How does one be a 'good' World Champion, then?

I'm guessing he said the same about Kimi in '08?

He did actually

And he said the same of Alonso. I even remember the wording. And prior to Hamilton's 2008 win he said it would be better for the sport's image if Massa won. In short, Bernie has now effectively criticised almost every champion since Schumi for not doing enough to promote F1. This is from the man who is ultimately responsibly for promoting F1 (through the deals he strikes with promoters) and at a time when the teams are all complaining about how more needs to be done to promote F1, particularly locally in the run up to races.

I don't buy the charity thing. The quote I saw from Bernie he was talking about 'being visible during the winter'... which just means showing up at toss like the GQ awards, being photographed with celebz and getting in the tabloids.

RunningMan wrote:He's right from a marketing standpoint. Vettel is a private individual so away from the racetrack, he isn't going to be doing a lot of promotion of F1, but it doesn't make him a bad champion by any means.

But it's Bernie, I'm not sure he believes half the stuff he says. Just the other day he accused Toto of helping to kill F1.

anyone ever thought about the possibility of bernie being a marketing genius? with all the weird stuff he says during interviews he surely makes a lot of headlines and a couple of times each year he even makes it into - don't know how to put it right - "common" (?) news ... like not entirely motorsport related news...

controversial topics make it to the front page way more often than less controversial stuff... sometimes i have a feeling that the likes of ecclestone and marko are doing this stunts on purpose for exactly that reason...

Bernie will pump the tyres of whoever the WDC is, and if that means slighting a driver he had previously praised when he was the WDC, so be it. If Rosberg wins it this year, he'll come out and talk about how Nico is a good Champion because he's a family man, has a famous F1 name, etc.

If Bernie <himself> can be good enough to be the Boss of Formula 1, VETTEL can already be more than a Formula 1 Champion.

Good world champion according to bernie = he has to be loved by pretty much everyone and attract everyone to watching F1 therefore the circus will get a massive boost in revenue. Thats bernie for you.
But this is impossible, even the very charismatic Valentino Rossi couldn't be liked by everyone in MotoGP.

shoot999 wrote:Plently of articles and interviews around the place about this; but the mds quote sums it up pretty well.

The charity work has been highlighted elsewhere. Plenty do charity but being a charity ambassador is more high profile requiring a bit more commitment and having to spend time on the projects. Both Hamilton and Alonso are high profile ambassadors. Not sure of the latest contract but Hamilton for example had reduced commitments on the wed/thur prior to a GP to carry out duties within the country concerned. Rosberg accompanied him on the majority of them. Setting aside the primary reason; all good for F1 and its profile.

As for the smiles and jewellery. A certain truth in this as Ive seen criticism on here and elsewhere for that. For example.
The company he keeps and gangsta lifestyle-on the week he attended the White House
Photographed with a women on his arms at a party-AIDS Foundation charity do, and the women was one of the stars of the Fast & Furious franchise; who have indicated they want Hamilton in the franchise.
Along with Alonso criticised for taking selfies/pics on the podium and elsewhere-pics were for a charity fundraiser.

So yes, I can see why Bernie thinks all that is good publicity for F1. I'm sure Wolff said similar things when he said that Hamiltons first day off from WDC PR was Dec 18th. Hamilton said at the post AD final that he would do as much as he could as a 'payback' for the season.

All WDCs handle themselves differently; because they are all different. I don't see one being better than the other at selling the sport. Although I think in this regard Senna was a bit special.

Notwithstanding all that, I think my response to BE would be yes, the WDCs are there to help sell F1. But the main responsibility to sell the thing is down to you; and it has to said, youre doing a cr@p job of it lately.

Shoot, I agree with most all of your post. I just wish Bernie would shut the hell up and disappear, as he has done more harm to F1 with is big mouth than any driver/team could dream of doing. I know of the saying "there is no such thing as bad publicity", but don't buy into it.

Schumi was a private person, and judging by the massive endorsements he was getting paid for, it doesn't appear that his demeanor hurt him or F1. I see Vettel in kind of that manner of Champion. Lewis is more outgoing and is enjoying his time in the sun more visibly than the other two, and that is not necessarily a bad thing either. What bernie seems to think is the definition of a good WDC is one who finds a means of being front page media every day... regardless of the reason. Flampoyance only really works when it natural for the individual, and even then it can be a bit divisive. And then there is bernie, who seemingly has never met an individual or organization that he can't insult... or in his case, he took it even further and insulted an entire gender... not exactly help the promoters of the USGP in Indy.

Oh, please... go away, bernie. I was so hoping you would be going to jail so we might get rid of you.

Bernie is just promoting the sport in his old fashion way - the current champ is the best champ, blah blah blah, he has said the same about every champ when they are champ. In the last 10 years or so, every statement he makes about F1 to the press is presented to stir controversy and give the press something interesting to go after. Bernie "understands" RBR's desire to quit and "questions" all the changes at Ferrari and hasn't heard about Button being held up in his limo at gunpoint in Brazil cuz that was just 'fantasy' and using water hoses on race day to fake rain would be awesome and an all female F1 would somehow be sustainable even if F1 is failing - and oh yes, F1 is failing.

If Bernie can make the story bigger - he will - even if it means making it a bit bigger than life.

Seriously,If Bernie wants WDC drivers to promote F1 then he should pay them! Bernie said the same thing about Alonso and Kimi,Then Bernie said he liked Seb and now Seb is bad for F1 in Bernies eyes.

Bernie fleeces all the money he can from every host race and TV rights making billions for his ditsy daughters sucking money out of the world for nothing but ditsy ditsyness and expects drivers to do free work for him.With all the billions of dollars Bernie has I'm sure he could afford a Brain transplant and the world would be a better place.

Way Too Fast wrote:Seriously,If Bernie wants WDC drivers to promote F1 then he should pay them! Bernie said the same thing about Alonso and Kimi,Then Bernie said he liked Seb and now Seb is bad for F1 in Bernies eyes.

Bernie fleeces all the money he can from every host race and TV rights making billions .

yup... gotta agree. bernie long ago passed his "use by" date for F1

Let me make a less controversial statement: Bernie Ecclestone isn't very good at running F1.

Have any of you guys seen this brilliant thing? http://www.elsewhere.org/pomo/ [1]

That's basically how I Bernie sounds to me a lot of the time.

[1]: The Post-Modern Essay Generator (generates random essays)

He was good enough when it suited Bernie. What's not good for the sport is the level of VIP's and z list celebs getting in, whilst thousands of real F1 fans are priced out.



Credit F1 Fanatic.

Bernie has always supported Vettel throughout his career so this is more meaningless theatrics from Bernie. I'm sure he appreciated Hamilton's on-and-off relationship with a well-known singer and his dabbling in things outside the sport. Vettel is about as buttoned up as they come (something I particularly dislike about him). Bernie can toss off anyway.

Nosebuckle wrote:Vettel is about as buttoned up as they come (something I particularly dislike about him)

Can you clarify what you mean by this? I need to know if I vehemently disagree or not.

Exediron wrote:

Nosebuckle wrote:Vettel is about as buttoned up as they come (something I particularly dislike about him)

Can you clarify what you mean by this? I need to know if I vehemently disagree or not.

He keeps to himself and never shows his face in public or does any PR for the sport outside of the core races.

Its fair, I've noticed it too. It doesn't mean he's not a great world champion in terms of driving talent but Bernie obviously wants someone who spends the entire off season promoting the sport.

Bernie is not a young man anymore. People that are not so young anymore tend to talk a lot of rubbish. We should forgive him. The guy has been losing his marbles for a couple of years now. I don't pay attention to what he says and I don't think anyone in their right mind should.

infi24r wrote:

Exediron wrote:

Nosebuckle wrote:Vettel is about as buttoned up as they come (something I particularly dislike about him)

Can you clarify what you mean by this? I need to know if I vehemently disagree or not.

He keeps to himself and never shows his face in public or does any PR for the sport outside of the core races.

Its fair, I've noticed it too. It doesn't mean he's not a great world champion in terms of driving talent but Bernie obviously wants someone who spends the entire off season promoting the sport.

Maybe he wants, maybe he doesn't know anymore what he wants, but... has there ever been such one?

If Ecclestone was your family pet you'd be putting him down.

GingerFurball wrote:If Ecclestone was your family pet you'd be putting him down.

But without feeling sad about it.

AravJ wrote:Wasn't one of Lewis's frustrations in his Maclaren contract was all the promotional events.
So is he doing it because he wants to or is it because he is contracted to.

Anyway Vettel handled Bernie's comments well, He will win the battle of the witts with most people in and around F1

That was about the extensive sponsorship obligations at McLaren; not charity work or other activities that are not simply helping the team pay their bills.

Well Vettel was a pretty boring champion out of F1. I guess Hamilton does a lot more extra-ciricular activities, I cant imagine Kimi bothering with all this though.

Ecclestone and Vettel used to be good friends. Wonder what happened?