Monaco Drama: FIA Confirms New Rule Amid President's Controversy
Feb.27 - A cloud of controversy emerged from Wednesday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, as the FIA body approved mandatory two-stop strategies for the 2025 Monaco GP.
In a statement, the FIA said the move requiring each driver to use at least three sets of tyres in the normally-processional race is to improve "the sporting spectacle".
"It's a little artificial," said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, "but it does add another dynamic and another possibility for Monaco to move away from a very stagnant, boring race that it can often be."
But the 'artificial' rule was not the cloud of controversy that emerged from the World Motor Sport Council meeting - that was reserved, typically, for FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Amid rumours the divisive figure may be challenged in the FIA presidential elections scheduled for late this year, two officials sat out the meeting when they refused to sign non-disclosure agreements.
Reports suggest Ben Sulayem is trying to prevent leaks to the media, but FIA deputy president for motorsport Robert Reid, and UK representative David Richards, point-blank refused to sign and were barred from participating.
The latest rumours suggest the saga might be a breach of the FIA's own statues, calling into question the validity of the decision made about Monaco.
An FIA spokesman played down the matter.
"It is normal practice in all organisations for confidentiality agreements to be signed to protect our interests as a regulator," he said.
The spokesman added that the measure was "overwhelmingly supported" by other World Motor Sport Council members.
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I reiterate my previous point that mandating the use of all three available compounds & therefore, a minimum of three pit stops will only promote overtaking via pit stops rather than on-track overtaking.
As for the matter regarding David Richards & Robert Reid, what a way for the FIA to treat them effectively over disagreeing with their unnecessarily excessive approach.
Even their spokesperson would be better off not attempting to speak for all organizations as he ultimately can't know for certain as a third party how exactly every single organization operates, & I also question the argument about protecting interests to an extent.
On a trivial note, Robert Reid used to be a World Rally Championship co-driver for the late 2001 world champion Richard Burns, while David Richards was also involved in the WRC in Subaru's works team via Prodrive.
Hes more than (involved..!) in Prodrive ,he founded it and owns it and + his f1 experiences
I know & therefore, I meant that he was involved in Subaru's works team as Prodrive was operating it just like M-Sport was already operating Ford's works team pre-2013.
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