Power-players Ecclestone, Todt meet with Ferrari
Sep.8 (GMM) F1 power players Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt on Friday met with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo at the fabled Italian team's Maranello headquarters.
Ferrari admitted the meeting was "cordial and productive", but it comes at a fascinating and awkward time for Formula One, as all three sides clash over key issues.
Ecclestone and Todt, for instance, are arguing over the FIA's desire to make more money from the sport, while Montezemolo is being told by Todt to pay much more for entry fees next year.
The Ferrari president, meanwhile, slammed as a "joke" Todt's vision of electric cars on the grid.
Montezemolo is not even ruling out Ferrari quitting the sport.
"If Formula One is not any more an extreme technology competition, where the technology can be transferred to the road car, maybe we can see Formula One without Ferrari," he told CNN this week.
Todt, however, who revealed that Stefano Domenicali was also at the Maranello meeting, is putting his mind to attracting new manufacturers to F1, whilst ensuring that Mercedes' argument with Ecclestone does not cause the German carmaker to quit.
"I don't think that will happen, but we must do everything to keep them in Formula One," he told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
And: "Maybe I can get some manufacturers who are involved in long-distance races - Audi, Toyota, Porsche and the Koreans - to produce engines for F1," said Todt.
The key, he said, is cutting costs.
"Since 2005 we have reduced the cost by 30 per cent, but in the next three years we need another 30 per cent or we risk losing some teams," said Todt.
Share Or Save This Story
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Pirelli chief calls for radical F1 overhaul
Arrivabene says Ferrari must target Mercedes now
Briatore: Italians 'never talked about Vettel'
Ferrari: Real progress or another false dawn?
How the Bahrain GP in Malaysia exposed Red Bull’s hidden resurgence
The slick tyre gamble that hurt McLaren and Ferrari's Bahrain F1 chances
Ferrari’s Vigna on Vasseur and fake news: “There is only one reality”
Can Red Bull now fight for wins everywhere? "It's difficult to be on par with Mercedes consistently"
Alex Marquez makes “unacceptable” gear-shifting mistake twice in wretched Japanese GP
Andrea Stella: F1 must avoid Sepang repeat, but "accept occasional glitches"
Bubba Wallace "paid the price on our front tires" in battle for Vegas win
How F1 let a golden opportunity slip at Sepang
How the Bahrain GP in Malaysia exposed Red Bull’s hidden resurgence
You Ask The Questions: Emerson Fittipaldi
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments