Ups and Downs

Max Mosley and the FIA are apparently in favour of introducing the concept of promotion and relegation to motorsport. Are they mad?

Now I'm not against the idea of relegation and promotion. In fact, I've suggested it myself as a solution to the question of which circuits should be able to host Grands Prix. But given that racing teams run as businesses, one only has to look at the business model to see that it would not work.

F1 teams operate with budgets way in excess of GP2 teams, and have to manufacture their own cars. Can you imagine any company moving from a budget of, lets be generous, $3 million, to $100 million? In four months? And how about the other way around? A team would have to start the season thinking, "Hmmm, we're not looking too good, so we'd better give everybody notice and sell the factory" and hey presto, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

F1 and GP2 are different sports. It's fair enough to have relegation and promotion between leagues when the rules are the same, like football or cricket. But F1 and GP2? You may as well tell a team that wins the local cricket cup that they've just qualified for the America's Cup.