Ecclestone accuses Ferrari, Mercedes of "asset protection"

The sport's commercial rights holder is trying to put together a deal for Red Bull to be able to use Honda engines in 2016, but he says the plan is being blocked by Ron Dennis.

However, Ecclestone is more unhappy with Mercedes and Ferrari, who he accuses of trying more to protect their own positions than embracing the competition that is an intrinsic part of F1.

Speaking about Red Bull's situation for next year with time running out, Ecclestone told the official Formula 1 website: "My opinion is that they will be in trouble whatever engine they get because of the timing.

"The reasons why Ferrari or Mercedes don't want to give Red Bull the same engine as they will race in 2016 is because they are afraid that they might get beaten - which is completely ridiculous.

"And should it really happen, then they should rush back to the drawing board. This is a sport that has competition it its DNA, not asset protection!"

Red Bull undecided

Although Red Bull has said many times that it will quit F1 if it cannot get competitive engines, Ecclestone suggests that its boss Dietrich Mateschitz remains undecided.

He thinks, however, that the Austrian will not accept being put in a position where he is not allowed to compete on a level-playing field.

"Mr Mateschitz is fortunate enough to be able to pull the plug if he wanted to," said Ecclestone. "He doesn't have to ask anybody.

"He is used to winning and doesn't want to be put in a position where he could be unfairly beaten. Unfairly!

"When he won the world championships he was competing on the same terms as anybody else. Probably he has not made up his mind yet."