F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone "will make a further attempt to cut the sport’s costs," according to Ian Parkes of the PA.
Much of the blame for the financial crisis that engulfed F1 last season, forcing Marussia out of business and Caterham into administration, "was laid at the door of the new V6 engines."
The three manufacturers, Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault, "spent millions in development and, in a bid to recoup some of their costs, charged customers accordingly."
Now Ecclestone "is to head into the Strategy Group meeting of the so-called 'big five' -- Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Williams, plus the sixth-placed team in Force India -- proposing a potential return to V8s, or even V10s" (PA, 12/17). SKY SPORTS' William Esler reported Ecclestone thinks an engine change "would help them remain on the grid." Ecclestone: "We recognize the biggest problem these teams have is the amount they have to spend on the power unit. I believe if you got everybody in the room, secret ballot, there would only be one company interested in retaining this engine, and that is Mercedes. You can't blame them because they have done a super job, and the others haven't, so they've a big advantage. Is that good for Formula 1? I think not" (SKY SPORTS, 12/18).
BRITISH HUMOUR: REUTERS' Alan Baldwin reported Ecclestone "has revisited his German bribery trial in a mischievous Christmas card" depicting himself handing over $10M to a masked highwayman pointing a pistol at him.
"This is not a robbery. I am collecting for the Bavarian state," says the cartoon figure on horseback as Ecclestone holds the sack of money (REUTERS, 12/18).
