Ferrari boss open to change

Home News Schedule Lap-by-Lap Circuits Profiles Sporting Babes Photos Video Sky Bet Select a team

Driver Profiles

Ferrari Fernando Alonso Felipe Massa

Force India Adrian Sutil Paul di Resta

Hispania Racing Narain Karthikeyan Vitantonio Liuzzi

McLaren Lewis Hamilton Jenson Button

Mercedes GP Nico Rosberg Michael Schumacher

Red Bull Sebastian Vettel Mark Webber

Renault F1 Nick Heidfeld Vitaly Petrov Robert Kubica

Sauber Kamui Kobayashi Sergio Perez

Team Lotus Jarno Trulli Heikki Kovalainen

Toro Rosso Sebastien Buemi Jaime Alguersuari

Virgin Racing Timo Glock Jérôme d’Ambrosio

Williams Rubens Barrichello Pastor Maldonado

Ferrari boss open to change Di Montezemolo says breakaway series is an option

Last Updated: May 13, 2011 6:08pm

0 0

Di Montezemolo: Considering future options for F1

Sky Bet

Sky Bet are offering everyone a Free £5 Bet

Claim your free bet now

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says that a Formula One breakaway series could happen at the end of next year.

The current Concorde Agreement – the deal that ties the teams, FIA and commercial rights owners CVC to the sport – is due to expire at the end of 2012.

Italian investment giant EXOR, who have a 30 per cent stake in Ferrari’s parent company Fiat, and News Corporation have confirmed their interest in a takeover bid.

Current supremo Bernie Ecclestone responded by insisting that F1 is not for sale but di Montezemolo thinks the teams may decide to form their own championship.

“I think we have to be very pragmatic,” the Italian said in an interview with CNN.

“At the end of 2012, the contracts of every single team with CVC will expire. So, we have three alternatives.

Success

“At the end of 2012 the contract will expire, so theoretically CVC doesn’t own anything. “

Luca di Montezemolo

Quotes of the week

“We renew with CVC, or we theoretically, as the basketball teams did in the US with great success, we create our own company like the NBA to run the races, the TV rights and so, and third, we find a different partner.

“Bernie Ecclestone has done a very good job, but he’s already sold out three times, so he doesn’t own the business any more. It is CVC that will sell.

“At the end of 2012 the contract will expire, so theoretically CVC doesn’t own anything. I think it is important to have alternatives. We will see. We have time to do it.”

Di Montezemolo also criticised the new DRS system and Pirelli tyres, which has led to a dramatic increase in on-track passing and pit-stops at the start of the season.

“We have gone too far with artificial elements. It’s like if I push footballers to wear tennis shoes in the rain,” he added.

“I want to see competition, cars on the track. I don’t want to see competition in the pits.

“In the last race there were 80 pitstops. Come on, it’s too much, and the people don’t understand any more because when you come out of the pits you don’t know what position you’re in.”