Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner said that F1's front runners "have no obligation to help smaller teams," according to the BBC. Horner said, "It's not our responsibility. We are a team competing in a championship. You don't see Man United helping QPR. Our obligation is to race and to compete within the rules." And while Horner believes measures need to be taken to help teams, he "stopped short of saying the sport is in a mess." Horner: "If you read the press it is. Obviously costs are too high and there's not enough income coming into the sport" (BBC, 11/14).
ENGINE WAR: The BBC's Andrew Benson wrote Mercedes said that it and Renault agree that F1 "cannot afford an all-out engine development war." Red Bull, which is Renault's works team, has "threatened to tear up rules restricting engine development in 2016." Red Bull, Ferrari and Honda, which is returning to F1 with McLaren next season, is "pushing for a relaxation of the restrictions on engine development." Mercedes has "reluctantly agreed to a proposal by Red Bull, Ferrari and Honda to introduce an extra development stage in July." But there "is a row about how big this step should be" (BBC, 11/13).
END OF DOUBLE POINTS: AUTOWEEK reported F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone admitted that "the controversial plan intended to help
keep interest in the series through the final race of the season will be
dropped" for '15. Ecclestone's brainchild has been
"roundly criticized for being artificial and unfair." Mercedes F1 Exec Dir Toto Wolff said, "Nobody likes the double points
... I don't think Bernie even likes them now" (AUTOWEEK 11/15). The BBC reported Ecclestone "wanted double points at the final three races of the season" but the teams, which he called "bloody idiots," did not go for the plan. Ecclestone: "I'm not going to propose the three races again" (BBC, 11/15).
Bernie Ecclestone has admitted the controversial plan intended to help keep interest in the series through the final race of the season will be dropped for 2014.
However, Ecclestone's brainchild, has been roundly criticized for being artificial and unfair. It has resulted in Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton having a comfortable 17-point lead heading into Abu Dhabi but still in danger of a mechanical failure allowing teammate Nico Rosberg to win the title by some margin.
"It would put a big shadow over the championship if it was turned by a technical issue," said their Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff. "Nobody likes the double points ... I don't think Bernie even likes them now. It's going to be something that we should probably be getting rid of for next season." - See more at: http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/f1-boss-bernie-ecclestone-admits-double-points-final-likely-be-dropped-2015#sthash.3E255BJn.dpuf
Bernie Ecclestone has admitted the controversial plan intended to help keep interest in the series through the final race of the season will be dropped for 2014.
However, Ecclestone's brainchild, has been roundly criticized for being artificial and unfair. It has resulted in Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton having a comfortable 17-point lead heading into Abu Dhabi but still in danger of a mechanical failure allowing teammate Nico Rosberg to win the title by some margin.
"It would put a big shadow over the championship if it was turned by a technical issue," said their Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff. "Nobody likes the double points ... I don't think Bernie even likes them now. It's going to be something that we should probably be getting rid of for next season." - See more at: http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/f1-boss-bernie-ecclestone-admits-double-points-final-likely-be-dropped-2015#sthash.3E255BJn.dpuf
Bernie Ecclestone has admitted the controversial plan intended to help keep interest in the series through the final race of the season will be dropped for 2014.
However, Ecclestone's brainchild, has been roundly criticized for being artificial and unfair. It has resulted in Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton having a comfortable 17-point lead heading into Abu Dhabi but still in danger of a mechanical failure allowing teammate Nico Rosberg to win the title by some margin.
"It would put a big shadow over the championship if it was turned by a technical issue," said their Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff. "Nobody likes the double points ... I don't think Bernie even likes them now. It's going to be something that we should probably be getting rid of for next season." - See more at: http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/f1-boss-bernie-ecclestone-admits-double-points-final-likely-be-dropped-2015#sthash.3E255BJn.dp
