Ecclestone looking to move F1 up a notch

As the FIA and FOTA, the teams' alliance, look at ways to spice up the action on track, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is said to be on the verge of announcing a move aimed at seriously broadening the sport's appeal.

Pitpass is rumoring that Ecclestone has invited English duo Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller to help him in his quest to move Formula One out of its sporting niche and into the wider entertainment market.

Cowell, a music executive, television producer and entrepreneur, is the man behind the X Factor and Got Talent franchises and according to the New Statesman was one of the "World's 50 most influential figures" in 2010.

Fuller, an artist manager, television producer and creator of the Idol franchise, is also the co-creator and executive producer of the reality show So You Think You Can Dance and other US and European TV shows.

Having managed the Spice Girls at the peak of their success, his roster of artistes and sportspersons includes David and Victoria Beckham, Annie Lennox, Andy Murray, Michael Caine, Jennifer Lopez and, as announced only a couple of weeks ago, Lewis Hamilton. Interestingly, Lewis' girlfriend, pop star Nicole Scherzinger, is to be a judge on the forthcoming series of the US version of The X Factor. In 2007, Time magazine named Fuller one of the "100 most influential people in the world".

While Formula One has increased its fan base in recent years, Ecclestone wants to see the sport broaden its appeal, cutting back on the technical/purist side of things and instead promoting the glamour, danger and celebrity side of the sport. More at Pitpass.com