More Political Correctness/Incorrectness

Not about tobacco this time, although I expect I shall return to that topic (there is a café owner on hunger strike here in France).

This time it is the interfering EU (European Union): they want F1 to be "greener". Now the fact that modern cars are so fuel-efficient compared with their predecessors is related to the fantastic progress made in developments by FI and also other categories of the sport (rallying for example). And if the designers are exploring new technologies such as energy recovery and so on then I say this is an excellent thing and if the EU wants a "greener" world then they should concentrate their attention on the likes of China and India, but saying "boo to a goose" has never been the EU's long suit has it?

Here is an extract from an article on Autosport.com

The European Parliament has called on the FIA and Formula One teams to make the sport more environmentally friendly, as part of a move to change public attitudes to green technology.

In a report supported by the European Parliament about a competitive automotive regulatory framework, called CARS 21, the call is made for several changes in the automotive industry in relation to reducing CO2 emissions.

However, it also made a separate note discussing the impact that motorsport could have on helping increase the popularity of green technologies.

A statement detailing the findings of the report, which was adopted with 607 votes in favour, 76 against and 14 abstentions, made it clear that it wanted moves made to make F1 'greener'.

The statement said: "MEPs recognise the role motor sport can play in changing attitudes and customer behaviour towards environmentally friendly technology.

"The House therefore asks the FIA and others involved in Formula One to change their rules accordingly, so that environmentally friendly technologies like bio-fuels, four-cylinder engines or hybrid can be more easily applied."

Four-cylinder engines? They must be joking: this is F1, supposedly the pinnacle of motor engineering; call me an old fart and reactionary if you like, but a four-cylinder engine is not a good engineering nor æsthetic solution for the "ultimate" in motor engineering (I often used to wish that Lancia had made the 1600 Fulvia as a compact, high-revving V6!).

But it's all window dressing isn't it? I realise it is symbolic and intended as an example, since the total energy consumed by racing cars and their manufacture is of course tiny - miniscule. However, what about all the air-freight and road transport involved? I doubt if the EU is planning anything soon that might have an impact on Airbus!

[Edit]

I see that The FIA has "welcomed the EU statement": again from Autosport.com here is an extract of what Max Mosley had to say:

In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said: "It is immensely satisfying that the European Parliament recognises the role motor sport can play in the advancement of green technologies and supports the work undertaken by the FIA in its policy campaigning to make motoring more sustainable in the future.

"With the support of the motor manufacturers competing in Formula One and, with the engineering expertise unique to the sport, we hope that new technical regulations will encourage a transfer of energy efficient technologies into the domestic car market for the wider benefit of society."

Nothing new in the second paragraph, as there has always been spin-off: "Racing improves the breed" we used to say.

Otherwise it's all just spin of another sort in my view!

À bientôt