CVC Capital Partners Chair Donald Mackenzie has called for measures to make F1 "more exciting," according to Kevin Eason of the LONDON TIMES. Mackenzie "stepped into the raging debate over the state of the sport for the first time by admitting there is 'some urgency' for improvements." Mackenzie said, "[F1 CEO] Bernie [Ecclestone], the teams and the FIA are working on it, and I hope some of the improvements will come along soon." Mackenzie said that he did not like the multiple grid penalties that "almost ruined" the Austrian Grand Prix but is "leaving that to the FIA to sort out." The CVC chairman "ruled out giving extra funding to the struggling small teams or re-ordering the terms of the commercial deals signed more than a year ago," which distributes 60% of the team profits to just four squads -- Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari. Mackenzie: "There are contracts in place, and they agreed with the contracts when they signed them. It's always annoying when people change their minds later. We want to help the small teams when we can. We can reduce costs, make the sport more attractive, and get more sponsorship. That would be a good thing" (LONDON TIMES, 6/30).
DECISIVE STRATEGY: REUTERS' Alan Baldwin reported Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner said that F1 needs to "make real strategic decisions" at a meeting on Wednesday after talking a lot about change and "delivering little." Horner said, "I think it's a crucial meeting tomorrow. Really some actions need to come out of it. The time for talking has now come and gone. There need to be some definitive actions following the meeting, which hopefully will be achieved." The sport's Strategy Group, which includes six leading teams (Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, Williams and Force India) along with the FIA, is due to meet in London before the sport gathers at Silverstone this weekend. Previous meetings have "produced meager results, with the main headline-grabbing decision from the last one being a return to refueling -- an idea which now lacks support." Concerned about dwindling audiences, the sport "wants to make cars lighter, noisier, faster and more aggressive looking" from '17 (REUTERS, 6/30).
