Uncertainty surrounds the future of Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali, Mail Sport can reveal.
The affable Italian, 59, was set to sign his new contract with Liberty Media, the sport’s American owners, in the summer but has yet to do so.
A former Ferrari team principal, Domenicali has a year to run on his current contract. His supporters say there is no rush to re-sign and that a resolution may yet materialise, suggesting negotiations may be ongoing and that his destiny is in his own hands.
But Domenicali’s future has been brought into sharp focus by Liberty Media’s chief executive Greg Maffei’s annual tour to London this week, during which he has spoken to F1’s other powerbrokers, as well as to Domenicali.
The visit of Maffei, a 64-year-old golf-mad businessman with a Harvard degree, has caused tongues to wag among Formula One’s highest-rollers, with speculation privately rising over Domenicali’s future in his estimated £6m-a-year position.
Speculation has risen over the future of Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali
Liberty Media chief executive Greg Maffei, left, has been increasingly visible at races over recent months amid suggestions he wants a change of leadership in Formula One
Red Bull’s Christian Horner, left, and Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, right, could be among the sport’s big beasts to move for the position should Domenicali ultimately leave his role
Maffei runs the American conglomerate owned by the reclusive John Malone and is the most powerful man in the sport’s ownership structure. He has also been increasingly visible at races over recent months.
I have heard it suggested that he wants a change of leadership, an idea given credence by the departure last month of F1’s chief legal officer Sacha Woodward Hill, 55, after 30 years in the organisation. She was brought in by F1’s modern creator Bernie Ecclestone, who sold his enterprise to Liberty for £5billion in 2017.
Woodward Hill served Ecclestone his dismissal papers, in his own offices, in Knightsbridge. He did not hold this against her, knowing his long-time and much-valued solicitor was only doing her new bosses’ bidding. They have maintained warm relations. He rang her up on her next birthday and they stay in touch.
A source close to the scene told me on Thursday night: ‘The Americans might be doing a bit of a clear-out. I think Greg wants to run the whole thing.’
Domenicali moved his family to England, and changed schools, in taking up his role from Ecclestone’s immediate successor, Chase Carey, in 2021, and has established himself as an amicable figurehead.
His departure, if it were to happen, might spark a rush for his job from the sport’s biggest beasts, such as Red Bull’s Christian Horner, Mercedes’ Toto Wolff or McLaren’s Zak Brown.
The dilemma facing Michael Schumacher’s family
It is a tragic case, and who can advise the loving wife of a legend who has been stricken by crippling illness?
It is now 11 years since Michael Schumacher was changed forever in a skiing accident in Mirebel on a bright Sunday morning on the Alps.
He has not been seen in public from that day to this. Though it is convincingly said that he attended the marriage of his daughter Gina at the family’s £27million villa in Majorca last month.
Phones were not allowed into the Villa Yasmin, the property he and wife Corinna bought seven years ago from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. One understands why the instruction was in place, pictures of the seven-time world champion forbidden. Privacy and decency should prevail.
It is their business, not ours. He is by nature a private man and bore the trappings of his fame only by steeling himself to accept that an involvement with the media and, thus, his fans, was an unavoidable price he had to pay.
But, for all that, he is also a public figure, reputedly the first billionaire sportsman in the world, and though acutely sensitive to the devastating consequences of his accident, I don’t think it unreasonable also to think some sensible medical bulletin would go amiss. It might also be the best PR strategy.
Schumacher has not been seen publicly since a skiing accident in 2013 (Schumacher pictured with his wife Corinna in 2005)
A sensible medical bulletin on the F1 legend’s health might the best PR strategy
Ainslie’s Americas Cup base reminiscent of F1
I spoke to Sir Ben Ainslie, our greatest sailor, this week in Barcelona, where he hopes to end Britain’s 173-year wait to win the America’s Cup, the oldest international contest in sport.
The facilities at his base were phenomenal and redolent of Formula One. Mercedes designers worked away in their office. Down below was a simulator in which his team spent an hour or more each day acclimatising themselves to the predicted climatic conditions. The headsets they wear takes their vision straight out to sea, in a virtual sense.
Others crunch number in offices. If you think sailing is just about a jolly at sea, think again. This is cutting-edge sport.
Sir Ben Ainslie is hoping to end Britain’s 173-year wait to win sailing’s America’s Cup
Facilities at Ainslie’s base are similar to F1 as his team seek to simulate conditions on the water
Ainslie incident offers reminder of Ecclestone’s theatre
On the Ainslie theme, he was stopped at knifepoint and had his Rolex stolen from him.
Ben is running a fair deal these days – good for his mind and soul as well as his fitness, aged 47 – but couldn’t catch the thug who ran off his watch. He gave chase for a mile but to no avail. ‘A good job, maybe,’ he said.
He would have beaten the guy, a member of a gang, to a pulp.
I reminded him of Bernie Ecclestone capitalising on his mugging on the steps of his house 14 years ago. The motive, actually, was nothing to do with nabbing his watch, but at the time F1 had a sponsorship with Hublot, the high-end Swiss watchmakers.
Ecclestone suggested Hublot ran an advert, which they did, capturing his black eyes and bruised face with the caption: ‘See what people are willing to do for a Hublot.’
It was pure Bernie. Rolex-ambassador Ainslie liked that. ‘All marketing is good,’ he laughed. The PC crowd wouldn’t get that one.
Briatore is Renault’s best hope of a return to glory
Whatever you may say about Flavio Briatore and his colourful past he is a star producer of F1 success. Ecclestone tried to get him in to run Ferrari instead of the current incumbent, the laughing Frenchman Fred Vasseur. Chalk and cheese.
Flavio Briatore at the age of 74 still remains Renault’s best hope of restoration to glory
You have to a big personality to run Ferrari, with all its political machinations behind the scenes. Briatore was up to that; Vasseur, well, let’s see.
Briatore has been brought in this season effectively to head up Renault and their decision to cease their engine programme and up their game. Mercedes are expected to get the engine gig.
Briatore, 74, remains Renault’s best hope of restoration to glory. That last happened through Fernando Alonso in 2006. When Briatore was in charge.
South Korea lead race to be added to the calendar
Formula One’s next addition to the calendar?
South Korea could be set to return to the calendar, but in Seoul or Incheon, not Daegu
South Korea are hot favourites, from what I hear. There are a couple of venues in mind. The capital Seoul, or Incheon, population three million, lead the way.
A return to the ‘resort’ of Daegu is thankfully not considered. Sure, they did an OK job, but the ‘love hotels’ – hired out by the hour while you were at track – took some stomaching.
