Formula 1

Ecclestone backs customer cars, not budget cap

GMM

Edited: Apr 18, 2012, 4:24 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Apr.18 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has revealed he does not support moves to install a budget cap in F1.

Bernie Ecclestone, CEO Formula One Group

Bernie Ecclestone, CEO Formula One Group

Photo by: xpb.cc

"It wouldn't work," the sport's chief executive Bernie Ecclestone told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

The big teams are also unlikely to join the cause, after Lotus and Sauber said recently a capped budget would provide a fairer playing field.

Ecclestone continued: "You can't stop people from spending the money they have. They will always find a way to get around whatever you try to do to control it.

"Instead, the technical rules should be written so that it is not possible to just use money to make a faster car," he insisted.

Another solution, said the 81-year-old Briton, is to allow smaller teams to buy year-old customer cars.

He said a clause will "probably" be written into the next Concorde Agreement.

Ecclestone acknowledged the dilemma that allowing customer cars could result in all the small teams buying the best car off-the-shelf, resulting in there being only a handful of constructors left on the grid.

"The way I'm imagining it, this would not be possible," he insisted. "I'll tell you about it soon."

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Ecclestone confirms Concorde row with Mercedes

Next article Williams Bahrain GP - Sakhir preview

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

GMM



The season is still very long - Rosberg

Formula 1

Formula 1

The season is still very long - Rosberg



Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes

Formula 1

Formula 1

Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes



Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position

Formula 1

Formula 1

Chinese GP

Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position

More from

Bernie Ecclestone



Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone reportedly arrested for travelling with shotgun in Portugal

Formula 1

Formula 1

Italian GP

Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone reportedly arrested for travelling with shotgun in Portugal



Bernie Ecclestone sends major F1 warning ahead of 2026: 'Danger is we lose the fans'

Formula 1

Formula 1

Bahrain Pre-Season 2

Bernie Ecclestone sends major F1 warning ahead of 2026: 'Danger is we lose the fans'



Bernie Ecclestone slams "over-confident" Lando Norris as he backs Max Verstappen for 2025 title

Formula 1

Formula 1

Abu Dhabi GP

Bernie Ecclestone slams "over-confident" Lando Norris as he backs Max Verstappen for 2025 title

More from

Sauber



Sebastian Vettel reveals why BMW didn't want him – but Red Bull did

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sebastian Vettel reveals why BMW didn't want him – but Red Bull did



You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica

Formula 1

You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica



Lewis Hamilton 'almost signed for Sauber' before F1 debut, says Peter Sauber

Formula 1

Formula 1

Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing

Lewis Hamilton 'almost signed for Sauber' before F1 debut, says Peter Sauber

Latest news



Who is racing in MotoGP's Qatar GP and who is absent?

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Qatar GP

40 min

Who is racing in MotoGP's Qatar GP and who is absent?



How F1’s rules got to be so complex

Formula 1

How F1’s rules got to be so complex



Kimi Antonelli: “My 2027 preparation starts now” after F1 title triumph

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

1 h

Kimi Antonelli: “My 2027 preparation starts now” after F1 title triumph



Alan Permane signs new Racing Bulls F1 deal

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

1 h

Alan Permane signs new Racing Bulls F1 deal

Feature

Discover prime content



How F1’s rules got to be so complex

Formula 1

By Pat Symonds

How F1’s rules got to be so complex



A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?

Formula 1

By Ronald Vording

A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?



Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Formula 1

Mexican GP

By Filip Cleeren

Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment



Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s

Formula 1

By Kevin Turner

Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s

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.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe