Bernie will replace F1 with Champ Car or GP2

UPDATE This Grandprix.com article speculates that if the GPWC breaks away with their own series, Bernie could start his own series but he may be too old to do so. What the author doesn't consider is the fact that company already exists. It is called Champ Car and if Bernie buys into it, a simple name change to F1 solves the problem and Bernie is back in business with a lock on the name, the TV and most of the tracks. With all the recent rumors of Champ Car going to F1 venues (Silverstone, Bahrain, Interlagos, Montreal, and Shanghai) one has to wonder what is Bernie up to? 10/26/04 The major car manufacturers involved in Formula 1 have taken another step forward in their plans to set up a rival grand prix series (GPWC). They have signed up a major sports marketing firm to make plans for its introduction by 2008. GPWC Holdings – the group formed by the major car manufacturers involved in Formula 1 – has hired International Sports and Entertainment AG with a brief to: “Start building immediately the operational and commercial structure for a new open-wheel motor racing series, to begin no later than 2008."

However, Bernie Ecclestone has been busy locking up all the tracks to long-term agreements. In addition he owns the F1 name and TV rights and rumor has it that if things ever got so bad such that GPWC did start a new series, Bernie would simply tell the manufacturers not to let the door hit their posterior on the way out and run Champ Cars in their place. Of course, if that happened, Champ Car would get a major shot in the arm and Bernie would see to it that their cars were not the current inferior things that they are. Adding fuel to this fire is the fact that Champ Car is becoming very international starting in 2005 and positioning itself to be an alternative to F1 (see related article). With a strong international following established by 2007, if GPWC starts their own series, Bernie will finally buy into Champ Car as has been long rumored, change the name to Formula 1 (F1), and carry on as if nothing happened. He will not only have all the F1 tracks locked up, by buying into Champ Car he will have all those tracks locked up too. Without the F1 name, the TV contract and the circuits, GPWC will be nowhere. While we believe the GPWC threat is nothing more than posturing on their part to gain more control of F1, and that a breakaway series will never materialize, should it happen, Bernie will be ready. Collectively, there simply isn't enough brainpower in the manufacturers to outsmart Bernie.