Bernie Ecclestone criticises new Formula One teams
After celebrating his 80th birthday last week, Bernie Ecclestone has no intentions of calling it a day.
Formula One’s commercial rights holder has made the sport what it is now, and he still has the passion, negotiating deals all over the world. The little man with a big heart was presented with a zimmer frame at the Korean Grand Prix. He certainly doesn’t need that as he is still going.
“Retire? Why? I need the money, I can't afford to retire,” said the man who is worth billions of pounds. “I don't worry. Age is nothing. People make me laugh when they talk about one year to the next year. One day you're one age and a day later you're another age. It's all nonsense.
“I'm like Obama [US president], I like to move forward,” Ecclestone added.
Even McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh knows age will not halt Ecclestone in his tracks. “He will be here until sadly he will be incapacitated by some force of nature. So that's very clear,” he said.
Ecclestone is not one for holding back on what he says, and his latest comments are bound to upset a few people. He has branded the three new teams who entered Formula One this season as an “embarrassment” and “cripples.”
“They do nothing for us, they are an embarrassment,” he said. “We need to get rid of a few of those cripples.”
He has a point, as this season the Lotus, Virgin and Hispania cars have been the slowest on the grid, and nearly three to four seconds a lap off the pace. They have caused many problems in several races for the quicker drivers, as they have to lap them four to five times during a grand prix. It cost Fernando Alonso in Canada, while Mark Webber went flying in Valencia after hitting the back of one of them.
Formula One’s supremo appeared to be pointing the finger at Hispania and Virgin rather than Lotus, who have shown improvements throughout the season. All three teams are yet to score any points, but Lotus have emerged as the best of the newcomers.
“Lotus is the only team that looks good and would be good to keep. Richard [Branson, Virgin owner], should put some money in there shouldn't he? He could do what [Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz] has done and put some money in,” Ecclestone said.
Expect a comeback to appear from the teams in question over the next few days.
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