It comes as no surprise that Red Bull's 'Lord High Executioner' believes the sport needs a strong leader, a dictator.

Amidst falling viewing numbers and sponsors, indeed, a general decline in the sport, not helped by a lack of competition, failure to address fans concerns and a general loss of purpose and direction, F1 has been increasingly in the firing line from all angles.

In recent months even the drivers have joined in, publicly calling for an overhaul of the sport's "obsolete" and "ill-structured" rule-making process.

Without a hint of irony, Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport consultant and wielder of the most unforgiving axe in sport, agrees.

Asked by the official F1 website whether, as Bernie Ecclestone has frequently said, the sport needs a 'dictator' as opposed to being run by a committee, he said: "One hundred percent yes... but it is difficult to find one these days!"

The Austrian fears that the teams have too much power and that they need to be kept in check.

"Of course it is difficult to take that away from them again. Probably not before a new Concorde Agreement. The teams should focus on racing again. Things will become better again when the teams are stripped off their power."

Even if that means stripping Red Bull of some of its power?

"Yes, if the right people are running the sport," he responds.

Asked to supply a job description for the next 'dictator', he replies: "I don't think that we will find that all in one person as we now have it with Bernie.

"You need a shrewd businessman, you need a marketing whizz who has the knowledge of the sport and brilliant political connections. Probably we are looking for a ‘Swiss Army knife' who has everything needed for survival!"

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1. Posted by sumpnz, 09/05/2016 19:33

"@jupiter24 - I've argued for a long time that the rules for F1 should consist of a box that the car must fit inside of, an energy quota for the race weekend (so you could use as a fuel electricity, gasoline, diesel, methanol, unicorn farts, etc), and crash safety standards based on energy absorption and driver/bystander protection. Other than that, specify open wheels, open cockpits and that's about it.

Do away with minimum weights (but harshly enforce the safety rules), powertrain design restrictions, gimmicks like DRS, purposely crappy tires, testing restrictions, and all the other arcane design restrictions and let the teams have at it. I'd also allow teams to buy anything they want from another constructor if they don't have the means/desire to design their own bits."

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2. Posted by Spindoctor, 09/05/2016 17:03

"I'll resist a strong temptation to comment about Austria's predilection for dictators. OK maybe I won't

F1 doesn't need a "dictator" what it needs is some leadership. We've had Bernie as de facto dictator for years: that's the problem. He has shown few leadership abilities and has mainly been simply a bully; forcing an ever-increasing burden of costs, rules and tweaks on an already hysterically overloaded Formula. Apologists are wont to claim that he's the one who has "made the sport what it is today" QED! That is precisely the problem.

Bernie's main interest in the post-Mosley era has been to extract as much cash from F1 in as short a time as he possibly can. The few billions he already has are clearly not enough.
I was never a big fan of The Max & Bernie Show, nor indeed of Mosley himself. Subsequent events have, however, proven that he was a powerful voice for sanity and a moderating influence on the grasping avaricious Ecclestone.

After we've somehow pried the dead hand of Bernie (I can dream) \CVC from the tiller, and also got FIA working, we could look to a leader. Categorically NOT a dictator: someone who has vision, credibility integrity and an ability to take everyone (or at least most people) with him (or her?). At root F1 is a simple enough Sport: cars designed within some limitations drive round in circles for a couple of hours. First one home is the winner.

The new "leader" needs to combine that simplicity with sufficient grasp of technology and Business to realize their vision.
My vote would go to Ron Dennis, but I doubt he'd either accept, or be acceptable owing to his McLaren connections, though that didn't do Bernie any harm...."

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3. Posted by Darvi, 09/05/2016 15:18

"We are already halfway there - we have a dick running things at the moment. What we need is someone with vision who will build bridges with the major stakeholders (spectators, teams, drivers and circuits) and put together a plan to build on the good and replace the bad elements of what we have.

Formula 1 isn't massively broken, but it needs a realistic and positive way forward that will satisfy the fans and provide exciting, affordable, close racing."

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4. Posted by karel, 09/05/2016 12:14

"The Brabham fan car, the six wheeler tyrell car, long time ago as I saw them real racing, the lotus 78 / 79 wing cars, jupiter I agree, but wat F1 needs the most is to get back connected to the people io the people's money."

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5. Posted by jupiter24, 09/05/2016 10:19

"If the powers that be are really serious about making F1 interesting again then they need less rules not more.
Why not have a basic spec to cover safety issues, plus a fixed amount of fuel per race. Then leave it to the designers, some may choose a large thirsty engine which gives speed but at a fuel cost others may chose a smaller less thirsty route. Same with car design, I am old enough to remember the Tyrell six wheeler, the Brabham fan car and the glorious sound of the BRM H16. Let F1 encourage ingenuity not stifle it. The goal is winning but there can be many different ways to the chequered flag"

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6. Posted by Stitch431, 09/05/2016 8:44

"Normally I disagree with this man, because he often whines. This time I think he is right!"

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7. Posted by Jonno, 08/05/2016 22:12

"I have nothing but contempt for Marko and his spoilt kids team. Red Bull has only taken from F1, it's contributions are all but non-existant. It's treatment of drivers and Renault has been appalling. I was most upset when they threatened to leave the sport, because they stayed.
"

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Marko: F1 needs a dictator

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