F1 to discuss radical 'driver swap' plan

Michael Schumacher could end up driving a Minardi next season after the Formula One Commission meet on Monday to discuss radical plans to improve the sport's appeal.

FIA president Max Mosley and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone have put forward a plan that includes drivers racing for every team in the first 10 races of the season.

The plan needs 18 votes out of 26 to be introduced next season, and the most extreme measures such as the "driver swap" idea are extremely unlikely to get the go-ahead, despite Mosley's enthusiasm.

He said: "There is a very strong case for doing it.

"If you can criticise F1 or indeed motor sport generally from a sporting aspect probably the biggest criticism is you might get a mediocre driver in an outstanding car and an outstanding driver in a mediocre car.

"You never quite know, unless it becomes absolutely obvious which it does from time to time, which is the best driver. You never quite know which is the best team. A lot of the time there is a question mark.

"If you did have this plan of each driver drives for each team there really would be no doubt at the end of the season who was the best driver and which was the best team.

"It also has the fascination of seeing what certain drivers could do in certain cars.

The teams, who have 12 of the 26 votes, will come under pressure at the meeting at an airport hotel at Heathrow to adopt some of the nine-point plan being proposed by Mosley and F1 impresario Ecclestone.

Mosley, who along with Ecclestone has one vote, admits his proposal stands little chance of garnering enough votes.

He reckons Ecclestone's idea of penalising successful drivers by putting a kilo of ballast on their car for every point they score above a certain total has more chance of finding favour.

"We can't force anything through," added Mosley, who claims the FIA has been forced to act to stem declining television viewing figures caused by Ferrari's domination last season and the controversy surrounding the fixed finish in Austria.

"We need to get the 18 votes and get the majority of teams in favour. We are saying to the team bosses that there is a problem, and here are a couple of possible solutions."