MOTORSPORT: Racy men going nowhere fast

And not just a big involvement in motorsport.

No, we're not suggesting that Cocho is like Max in ducking off from the office on a Friday arvo for a bit of S&M down the road.

What it is we notice with these two men is that they have a fondness for giving the impression they might not stick around much longer when they have no intention of departing.

At the height of the Mosley sex scandal earlier this year, and ahead of the FIA vote on whether he ought remain president, Mosley said he wanted to see through his work at the helm of the world governing body of motorsport until the end of his term in October next year.

F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who at that time thought Max ought to have gone (but subsequently changed his tune), made it known that if Mosley (pictured) retained the confidence of his FIA colleagues -- some might say lackeys -- to stay until a year later, he would want to win another four-year term.

"Just you wait and see," was the message from Ecclestone.

And, some months after Mosley held on to the FIA presidency despite his public disgrace (although he won his privacy suit against the News of the World newspaper), what did we hear a couple of weeks ago? Max told us that so many people around him were telling him he should go on; almost that the sport could not do without him.

And we got the vibe that Max was feeling he could not possibly let all those people down, and that perhaps he ought go around again for another four years, even though he would much prefer a much quieter life.

All bulldust, of course. He's hooked on the power of his position and there's no way he wants to give it up.

Now we must make clear again that Tony Cochrane has none of the smutty baggage that Max Mosley does.

But we do find close similarities with Mosley in what TC said a year ago when he fended off a challenge from former federal Liberal Party leader John Hewson and what he's saying now.

As we recall it (and unfortunately our relevant files are in remote storage), Cocho was quoted a year ago saying things to the effect that another year or so might well see him out as V8SA chairman.

But, reading between the lines of his interview with Auto Action editor-at-large Mark Fogarty in this week's edition of that magazine, we surmise that Cocho is thinking -- if not exactly long, long term -- very much medium term.

At least another four years, we reckon. Perhaps five.

Oh, look, if a bloke stayed on that long he might as well go the distance.

Not only is endurance racing in the air at the minute, but endurance administration/marketing/management or whatever it is, we reckon.

Now we can understand that Cocho felt compelled to hang around at least a year after the upheaval of the Hewson challenge, just to stabilise things.

And it's equally understandable that, as chairman, he feels invigorated with a new CEO about to start work at V8SE (Cameron Levick, ex Vodafone); that there are things they need to get on with together, like a "white paper" on the future of the V8 Supercar racing.

"White paper"? All sounds like politics, doesn't it? A term you'd expect to hear in a report out of Canberra.

Now Canberra. Wasn't that the place where a bloke by the name Johnny Howard ran the show for a decade or so.

Decade or so. Bit like TC.

But wasn't the ultimate decision on Johnny Howard that he stayed around a bit longer than might have been best?

Surely that wouldn't be a mistake TC would make.

Anyway, with Hewson well and truly out of the way, it doesn't appear TC has a Peter Costello coveting his job.

So he must be pretty safe. Good for another four or five years. At least.

And, a bit like Max Mosley, we don't reckon he had any intention of going anywhere anyway, despite what he said a year ago.

He's more a man from the Julius Sumner Miller glass-and-a-half school.

And so it's no surprise in his AA interview with "Foges" that TC is very optimistic about the future of V8 Supercar racing.

The four pages are well worth a read, and we won't spoil that here by repeating too much of what is said, or even asked.

But we will mention the three things that Cochrane reckons are sacrosanct about Supercar racing's future -- V8 engines, the noise, and that the cars have "real attitude".

V8 Supercar fans will have empathy with those prerequisites.

We just wonder a bit about how those three things will sit with the future environment -- not just "green" environment, but the commercial and sporting marketplaces.

That's not to doubt that V8 Supercar racing may yet have many years ahead of it.

Despite its critics, it's already survived pretty well with what could have been thought to be a dinosaur product.

And here we will unashamedly draw on an extract from Mark Fogarty's news story which is a pointer to his Cochrane interview.

"Behind the scenes there is a powerful push to introduce cheaper and simpler machines in 2011," Fogarty writes.

"Insiders suggest the preferred option of key players is still for cars that retain the current look, but with a common chassis and mechanicals underneath the standard-shape body panels.

"As well as a control platform, they want a control-spec V8 engine supplied to the teams by an independent builder.

"The motor would be a modern design with multi-valve cylinder heads and multiple overhead camshafts, built to last 10,000km or a whole season.

"As well as lowering development and running costs, the common engine could be badged for any manufacturer.

"The car rules, while sticking with the tried-and-true front-mounted, rear-drive V8 format, would be framed to allow any carmaker to compete.

"Supporters of the move to control-spec chassis, powertrain and suspension under 'hanging panels' are convinced cars would retain their spectator appeal while being much cheaper to build and run.

"Switching from modified road car bodyshells to replica panels would save tens of thousands of dollars, they argue, citing the $19,000 it costs for a NASCAR body kit."

Interesting stuff.

Even more interesting will be what we end up with in the years to come.

The first, another Fogarty article, is headlined "Cost containment collapse".

The introductory paragraph reads: "V8 team bosses have rejected key cost containment measures proposed for next year."

Despite whoever's good intentions, this is totally unsurprising.

We just don't see how cost-cutting, or more particularly cutting spending, works -- or can work -- in motorsport, unless those paying to build racing cars simply cannot afford to pay as much as they have in the past.

In the economic climate of the minute, that may become the case quite quickly anyway.

But not so much in a way that will curb the costs of racing, but rather simply not allow as many competitors to be out there.

The other article that caught our eye is headlined "CAMS 'out of touch'."

And the introductory para: "CAMS provides poor value for money, is out of touch with grassroots motorsport and its management is perceived to be ineffective, a damning review has found."

The review was by Ernst & Young.

Now CAMS is always an easy target for criticism, but -- while we might have agreed with much that has been said about it over the year, and said and written some of it ourselves -- we reckon that in one particular respect its job is more difficult than those of other sporting bodies.

Those administering, say, soccer may have many leagues and levels but just one sport -- the game's the same at all levels.

The same, pretty much, with Australian football, rugby league, rugby union, tennis, basketball, netball, etc.

CAMS has the more onerous task of administering many different forms of motorsport, and not only the people participating but also the machinery.

A lot different to ball sports.

Truly a double-edged sword.

But there is no getting away from the fact that what this latest review of CAMS is saying is virtually exactly what we heard when this scribe started covering motor racing 18 years ago (and his interest goes back further than that).

No doubt many of those who have been around in Australian motorsport much longer than us will say that's the way it's always been.

Surely there is a solution -- a leader, a saviour, a better system/structure -- out there somewhere.

What prize for unearthing it?

The ABC has had a couple of reports on the subject in recent days.

One of those reports, that the government is not concerned that the Sydney Olympic Park Authority has twice rejected the idea, is here.

We're just a little curious about NSW Development Minister Ian Macdonald's statement in the story that there is already "a lot of motorsport in the precinct".

Another report, about residents opposed to a V8 Supercar race at Homebush saying they will use an upcoming state by-election to highlight their concerns, is here.

But we'll be tuned in Sunday night, and keeping an eye on progress in the lead-up to Singapore's historic race.

While there are some fears of a repeat of the dull new Valencia street race in Spain last month, with little overtaking, there is literally half a chance of rain to spice it up.

While it is claimed that the street circuit in the city-state will be four times brighter than the average football match, reflections could be a big issue if and when it rains.

Power for the lighting is independent of Singapore's electricity grid and provided by 12 twin generators, each able to absorb the load of the other if one fails.

Electronic "Digiflag" displays alongside the track will be used for the first time to supplement the traditional flags waved by marshals to communicate with drivers.

We reported separately yesterday on McLaren's world championship leader Lewis Hamilton failing to have his relegation from first to third in the Belgian GP overturned, and the injustice of that decision. In case you missed it, or want/need it again, that report is here.

Rain will shorten Hamilton's odds in Singapore. He has proved himself this year the best wet-weather driver among those consistently at the front of the field -- a "title" Sebastien Vettel may yet come to challenge after his phenomenal performance in the Italian GP at Monza two weeks ago, but we are yet to see whether Toro Rosso or Red Bull Racing -- the team where Vettel will be next year, alongside Aussie Mark Webber -- are consistent frontrunners.

Ferrari has had a lot of trouble getting its tyres working to the maximum this year, and in optimising its package in the wet.

We suspect the loss (to Honda) of technical chief Ross Brawn, at the same time as Michael Schumacher retired at the end of 2006, is a big part of the reason for Ferrari's problems.

Monza was the fourth race this season without a Ferrari driver on the podium.

But history tells us the red cars adorned with the black prancing horse usually do very well at new circuits.

Felipe Massa is only one point behind Hamilton in the championship with four races to go, but that margin is distorted by the injustice of the penalty on Hamilton from Spa, and the Brit must be favourite to become world champion -- and, in our estimation, is the most deserving of it.

The Singapore track is expected to be the second slowest in F1, after Monaco -- where Hamilton excelled.

This will be the 800th round of the F1 world championship since the first at Silverstone in Britain in 1950.

Of the 20 drivers in the field, 12 have now won GPs -- leaving our Webber among the eight yet to taste that ultimate success.

BMW-Sauber's Nick Heidfeld has had more starts (146) than any of those eight without winning.

"KERS is key to the future of F1, and unless we take major steps to make the sport more environmentally sensitive, then there is no future," Fry said.

"I think that the teams that are arguing against KERS have got their heads stuck in the sand because it is the future, and unless F1 adapts we're going to be in very serious difficulties.

"We've got to re-orientate our expenditure to things which are useful like KERS, but away from things which are less useful such as the more obscure aerodynamic components that we spend huge amounts of time and money on.

"I think KERS will improve the spectacle.

"From what we've seen with our drivers they've rather enjoyed using KERS because it does give very noticeable boost when you hit the button and will improve the entertainment value of the sport.

"Even though some people are obviously less keen with KERS, I believe all the teams are genius enough to develop their own systems, and whilst there will be a bit of settling down at the beginning of the season, I'm confident that everyone will come up with their own solution.

"This technical diversity of different solutions is at the heart of F1; it really is the essence of the sport to encourage technical innovation and that's something we must not lose."

But if Ambrose ends up representing the Japanese manufacturer in a Michael Waltrip Racing entry, an interesting article on where that outfit is at is right here.

Despite the horrendous reports out of Britain, some of which we have mentioned over the past couple of weeks, about the health -- poor health, perhaps even terminal illness -- of the A1 GP series, McMurray does not see dark clouds.

Indeed, he can even see a silver lining in the clouds.

"A1GP is not in trouble -- they are just having a reorganisation," McMurray said in an NZ article we spotted here.

"In terms of cash to get the thing underway (for a fourth season), it's just a hold-up because of the international financial situation.

"I don't think you can say they are in trouble.

"I simply think they are being forced, as F1 is, as almost every other major corporation is, into reorganising how they go about things.

"It is possible there could be smaller grid at the opening round at Zandvoort (on October 5).

"If they had 18 cars on the grid, it will be fantastic -- if they get 22 on the grid, that will be amazing."

Indeed, it will.

Especially when, in the same article, we read: "NZ hosts a round of the series -- in January -- and A1GP NZ chief executive Gary Dawson said today he had yet to hear from series bosses whether he will have their financial support to run it."

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