INTERVIEW
P106
FIM PRESIDENT VITO IPPOLITO
What the
president thin
HIGH
STAKE
POKE
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
G
rand Prix racing is at the crossroads. The
joint FIM-Dorna proposal of November –
to introduce control engine ECUs and a
rev limit – has raised hackles in factory race departments and opened the door to a future without
factory domination. And perhaps without factories.
A crucial mid-December Grand Prix Commission meeting will debate the proposal, a forum that
includes the manufacturers association MSMA,
teams' association IRTA as well as rights leaseholders Dorna and the FIM, the sanctioning body.
The intention is to arrive at firm new cost-cutting
technical rules for next year by May. If not, then
106-108 Ippolito Interview.indd 106
Dorna chief Carmelo Ezpeleta has made it clear
he will use his dictatorial powers to impose whatever he thinks fit.
Two weeks before this meeting, the FIM convened some 40 World Champions (only Casey
Stoner was willfully absent, and likely to be fined
for it) as well as past heroes, national FIM delegates, Dorna chief Ezpeleta, sundry worldwide
racing big-wigs, and a select handful of press for
a no-expense-spared televised gala presentation
evening. It was the second such, in the nowadays
cash-rich Switzerland-based FIM's drive to regain
identity, influence and importance in the wake of
leasing all their GP rights and most of their GP authority to Dorna.
12/9/11 2:59 PM
