Ecclestone calls for changes

Bernie Ecclestone, along with many others, believes Formula One has lost some of its excitement and changes need to be made to improve the sport. Television ratings and tickets sales have been dropping and although some complain that Ferrari's dominance has made F1 boring, Ecclestone thinks the technology used should be reduce to make driver skills more important.

"If I could, I'd introduce a one-tyre formula, cut out electronics, reduce the aerodynamic effect on the cars," he said. "That would be a big step forward. We have to get our act sharpened up, we haven't got a very good act at the moment. Nobody's to blame. You can't blame Ferrari for winning, they've all got the same regulations and that's what they're there for."

"The trouble is the technicians have got in front of the drivers. It's not decrying what Michael and the other drivers do, but their life is a lot easier than it should be. I watched the on-board camera with Michael and he was sitting there like he was just going to the shops."

Driver aids such as traction and launch control and the introduction of two-way telemetry have provoked claims that a monkey could drive the car. Certainly this season the on-track action has been less of a spectacle for the fans, with many races being an unexciting procession with Ferrari in the lead. Various ideas are being considered on how to improve F1 but it seems difficult to find solutions that all are in agreement with.