F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone announced that F1 "has agreed to accept two new teams," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. The London Independent reported last week that one team is a U.S. entry proposed by NASCAR Stewart-Haas co-Owner Gene Haas. Haas is reportedly "working with former Red Bull and Jaguar technical director Guenther Steiner on the new project." Former F1 Principal Colin Kolles, who most recently led the failed Spanish HRT team after stints at Force India and its previous incarnations Jordan, Midland and Spyker, "has also reportedly submitted a Romanian-backed application." Ecclestone: "They will be accepted. We've also accepted another team as well. Whether they'll make it or not is another story. We are happy to have another couple of teams" (REUTERS, 4/6). The BBC's Andrew Benson reported Mercedes co-team Exec Dir Toto Wolff said the push by Red Bull and Ferrari to change new F1 rules is "absurd." Red Bull is "keen to ditch the fuel-flow limit that is central to the new efficiency-based F1 and Ferrari want to shorten races or increase the maximum fuel allowance." Wolff said, "This whole discussion is absurd. The rules are the rules. If you want to change the rules, you can do it for next year but I don't see that happening." Ferrari President Luca Di Montezemolo has called the new F1 "taxi-cab driving" and Red Bull Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey said in Bahrain this weekend that the rules had been introduced "without proper thought" (BBC, 4/6). In London, Daniel Johnson reported Ecclestone has said Mercedes will be the "leaders" in any potential rule changes in F1, despite the team's boss describing talk of tweaks as "absurd." Ecclestone, "who has been a longstanding critic of the sport's drive for greater efficiency," said the current state of F1 is "not acceptable to the public," as he vowed to make changes. Ecclestone: "Everybody is complaining, even Mercedes. They don't like people being unhappy" (TELEGRAPH, 4/6).
TIME FOR A CHANGE: In London, Kevin Eason reported Ecclestone said that the sport’s new petrol and battery power combination "has to change, even though the season is only two races old." Ecclestone: “I think we have to [change], for sure. I don’t think the way things are at the moment are acceptable to the public. People buying tickets come here and expect to see what Formula One used to be.” Most F1 engineers and technical directors hail the new power packs "as the most exciting innovation in a generation." However, Ecclestone "is having none of it, particularly as the cars no longer emit the ear-shattering scream of the old V8 petrol engines, pensioned off last season, while fuel-saving strategies have become paramount during races." Ecclestone: “The engines are without doubt incredible, the amount of power they produce for the small amount of fuel, but I don’t think it is F1 business. They should do it in touring cars or something -- not in F1" (SUNDAY TIMES, 4/6). In London, Paul Weaver wrote Ferrari said it has received more than 50,000 replies to its online survey, claiming that 83% said that "they were unhappy with the new rules" (GUARDIAN, 4/5). The PA's Ian Parkes reported Ecclestone insisted that "plans are in the pipeline to raise the decibel level of the current 1.6-litre V6 turbo-charged power units." Ecclestone: "It all started because of the lack of noise, not the type of noise we are used to in Formula One, and now people are looking and saying 'It's an economy run,' and we go on from there" (PA, 4/6).
