Mercedes “screwed me” on bonus payments, says Ecclestone

At the moment, Ferrari gets a special 'historical' payment, while Red Bull, Mercedes, Williams and McLaren also have extra annual guarantees that the other teams do not have access to.

These mean the teams in question can earn more in a season than other teams that finish several places higher in the constructors' championship.

However, Ecclestone stressed that there is already a performance element, as exemplified by Mercedes, who surprised him by triggering extra payments by winning two World Championships.

“We sort of look after, basically, if that's the right word, four or five teams, because they have a long-term commitment with us,” he said on Thursday.

“They signed four or five years ago to stay to 2020, so they needed something for doing that. The other teams couldn't sign or they wouldn't sign. If they stopped, what could we do?”

Mercedes earned an extra bonus by meeting an agreed target of winning two titles, and Ecclestone sees that as an example of a top team earning extra funds on merit.

“It would really be the same sort of system because when they came in, they were on a basic, basic salary. Because they committed to stay to 2020, and we knew - if they committed, they would stay.

"So we said if you do what Red Bull did, win a championship, you're going to get extra. If you win two... And I said to our board, 'They're never going to win a championship, let alone two.'

"So they screwed me and won two championships.”

Regarding the potential future benefits for the smaller teams of a new system, Ecclestone said: “At the moment they have no chance of getting this money that we're talking about. They don't have any chance.

"But we're going to make sure they're in a position where they do, if they perform. Then they'll be in the same position as everybody else.

“I think they'll be happy with this new idea, because they've been unhappy with it how it is now. So they must be happier in the future.”

Ferrari's special status

Inevitably, Ecclestone played down any likely opposition from Ferrari, before backtracking and suggesting that the Italian team could retain its special position as the sport's oldest competitor.

“They will be in the same position as what we're talking about. That amount of money will be there for everybody.

“Let's have a look at it. Ferrari have been with us since F1 started, so they should get something for that. Which they do.”

He also played down the prospect of Ferrari threatening to leave the sport if it didn't get the deal it wanted: “I think they're genuine when they say these things. They just forget, that's all.”

Asked about a timescale for negotiations, he said: “I think we have to try and get something sorted out this year. That's something that we'd have to get Ferrari and people to agree to. But after that, we don't need them to agree.”

Ecclestone was non-committal on how any new system would be financed - or, in other words, who might lose out.

“I know where it's not coming from. Where it is [coming from], I don't know. We'll put a new structure together.”

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