Horner: Top F1 teams won't accept less prize money

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone revealed last week that he is considering a revamp of the prize money system that could mean leading teams like Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes lose bonus payments they get for their historic contribution to and previous success in grand prix racing.

But Horner says that the best way for smaller teams to get more income is through F1's commercial chiefs securing more revenue for all teams – rather than taking it away from the big outfits.

“It’s like with all these things, you’ve got to be comfortable with the amount of money you are receiving,” he explained.

“If the money goes up for everybody that’s less of an issue than if the money has to go down to some of the teams.

“So if more revenue can be brought into the sport, it’s for the promoter to decide how the revenue is divided.

"But of course all the teams will have an issue if their revenues drop.”

Bonus payments fair

Horner insists that the extra payments that the big teams get are justified because of the contribution that these outfits make to F1.

He cites Red Bull's show runs and huge marketing drive to promote F1 as reasons why his team deserves to get more than other outfits.

“They [bonus payments] were centred around the other aspects Red Bull brings to Formula 1,” he said.

“We’re probably the only company/team that goes out and actively promotes Formula 1 with our show-car activities, the activities we have worldwide.

“We were the first team to run in Baku. Maybe that was a contributing factor to them deciding to have a grand prix there.

“We’ve run cars up mountains, cars up beaches, places where you wouldn’t expect to see grand prix cars, taking it out to the mass public.

“Red Bull does a fantastic job of promoting Formula 1, and on top of that we have two grand prix teams and a grand prix circuit.”

Horner conceded, however, that where the starting point for negotiations regarding future prize money is something that only Ecclestone can decide.

“It's for him to decide how he wants to split the revenues, and whether teams decide to negotiate in a pack, which rarely works,” he said.

“It’s going to be an interesting period.”