When trying to explain the crazy world of Formula One to friends and family, I often point to the fact that FIA President Jean Todt receives heavy criticism for attempting to rule by consensus rather than impose his will on all and sundry.
To those outside the F1 bubble, the idea of a leader who favours consensus and accord over more totalitarian behaviours is a good thing. It is only those of us with long-term F1-inspired Stockholm Syndrome who seem to find satisfaction in discord.
Last weekend in Melbourne marked not only the opening round of the 2017 Formula One season but also the opening round of F1's brave new world under new owners Liberty Media. Two of Liberty's three big cheeses made themselves available to the media in an open session over the weekend, as did FIA President Todt.
The mood in both media sessions was one of optimism, with both parties and all three speakers talking positively about cooperation between FIA and what has become FOG, the Formula One Group.
One element of particular interest has been Ross Brawn's FOG appointment, as there has not previously been a need for a technical advisor at the commercial rights holder. Despite speculation that Brawn's role would see him in conflict with the FIA as regulator, Todt was keen to assure the media that the regulatory process would remain unchanged.
"The role of the FIA is ... to write the rules about Formula One for the present and for the future, and to make sure that those rules are legislated and regulated," Todt said in Melbourne. "And I'm very happy that the new commercial rights holders have decided to reinforce its team to put some expertise, and our people will discuss together.
"I think it is always very healthy to be able to exchange. We have that in the endurance championship with the ACO; we build the rules together, but at the end of the day the FIA has the final responsibility. So we have a skilled Formula One organisation with participants giving input, but clearly they will never be in a position to write the rules. The rules will always finally be written by the FIA."
According to Todt, there is a lot of interaction currently ongoing between the FIA and FOG. "We have very good meetings," the FIA president said. "We are very good at having informal meetings regularly, not only at my level, but at the level of Charlie Whiting's groups and other people. We also have Strategy Group meetings, and the next one is on April 25 in Paris. In the morning we have the Strategy Group meeting and in the afternoon we have the Formula One Commission. That's the next steps but we often speak and collaborate at different levels."
Some of that collaboration is social. "Yesterday I had dinner with Chase Carey, and I wanted to tell you what the spirit is like. ... We spoke about how we can work better, because it's a combined effort. We want each grand prix organisation to be a success and it was very constructive to speak with [the promoters] and to see how we can help them, how we can support them and how we can initiate other programmes that are maybe other programmes like road safety with them, to use them and them to use us.
"They were very interested; it was a very good meeting. I had already had meetings with the new owners in Geneva and in Paris to discuss how we can make things better. Honestly, it would be inappropriate to create a kind of 'one wants to take something over from the other one'. We are ready and willing to work to put the strength and the effort to make Formula One as good as possible."
The last word of cautious optimism -- realism, perhaps -- belongs to Todt: "We are in a honeymoon situation at the moment."