Three Formula 1 Teams Interested In Acquiring Mercedes 'Customer Cars'

Mercedes Exec Dir Toto Wolff said that three F1 teams have "asked Mercedes about the possibility of acquiring 'customer cars' if the rules allow it," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. The Austrian "brushed aside a suggestion that none of the smaller constructors, many of them struggling financially, wanted to relinquish their status and run cars provided by others." Wolff said, "It's interesting they say that because three of them came to see me (on Friday) about whether we could supply customer cars to them." The subject is "controversial, with critics saying such a change would lead to a two-tier sport dominated by the major manufacturers." Advocates "argue that is already the case" and said that the sport "needs to do something to ensure there are enough cars on the starting grid" and reducing the costs of competing (REUTERS, 5/24).