Bernie Ecclestone says 2014 Formula 1 is 'unacceptable' to fans

[Rob]

By Jonathan Noble Sunday, April 6th 2014, 09:42 GMT

Bernie Ecclestone thinks urgent changes to improve the Formula 1 spectacle are now essential - after claiming on Sunday that the current state of the racing is 'unacceptable' for fans.

Ahead of a series of meetings in the Bahrain paddock between the sport's chiefs and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo on Sunday to discuss the current state of the sport, Ecclestone has ramped up the pressure for a rethink.

With AUTOSPORT understanding that race promoters have already written to him expressing concern about the impact the new rules are having on fans, Ecclestone says change is needed.

"I think we have to, for sure," he said when asked by AUTOSPORT if he agreed change was required.

"I don't think the way things are at the moment are acceptable to the public. People buying tickets to come here expect to see what Formula 1 used to be."

Ecclestone thinks that F1 has gone in the wrong direction with the new 1.6-litre turbo engines - even though he is impressed with the technology.

"What is wrong is these fantastic engines," he said. "The engines are without doubt incredible, the amount of power they produce for the small amount of fuel.

"But I don't think it is F1 business. They should do it in touring cars or something - not in F1."

Ecclestone think the changes to F1 need to be focused on tweaking the car noise and revising the fuel limitations.

He ruled out the idea of shortening grand prix distances, and instead reckoned that the best way forward would be to raise the maximum fuel allowance.

"I think they can do something about the noise," he said. "If they need another 10kg of fuel or something like that, then I think everyone will agree."

NO PLAN TO ROB MERCEDES OF ADVANTAGE

Although Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said in Bahrain that talk of changing rules was 'absurd', Ecclestone reckoned that the German car manufacturer would ultimately support moves to make the sport more appealing to fans.

"I think what is important is that the teams know the problem and the engine manufacturers know the problem," he said. "They are trying to sort it.

"I think Mercedes will be behind it. I think they will be the leaders."

He also suggested that tweaks would be able to make the racing better without eroding Mercedes' competitive advantage.

"We can do these things without it particularly doing that," he said.

"Mercedes without any doubt have done a better job. And they should not be punished for doing a good job - we should not change the regulations to punish them.

"I think everybody is complaining really - even Mercedes. They don't like people not being happy."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113312

[Kiwi Nick]

"He ruled out the idea of shortening grand prix distances, and instead reckoned that the best way forward would be to raise the maximum fuel allowance.

"I think they can do something about the noise," he said. "If they need another 10kg of fuel or something like that, then I think everyone will agree."

This may be very difficult to do with chassis that are built to hold 100kg of fuel. I doubt, that with space being at such a premium, that many cars have 10% excess capacity. Perhaps Sir Bernard is thinking that the teams can bolt on some old P-51 belly tanks to increase fuel capacity.

The good news is that the first step in solving a problem is admitting that there is a problem. Now the FIA and the teams need to admit it.

[Rob]

"He ruled out the idea of shortening grand prix distances, and instead reckoned that the best way forward would be to raise the maximum fuel allowance.

"I think they can do something about the noise," he said. "If they need another 10kg of fuel or something like that, then I think everyone will agree."

This may be very difficult to do with chassis that are built to hold 100kg of fuel. I doubt, that with space being at such a premium, that many cars have 10% excess capacity. Perhaps Sir Bernard is thinking that the teams can bolt on some old P-51 belly tanks to increase fuel capacity.

The good news is that the first step in solving a problem is admitting that there is a problem. Now the FIA and the teams need to admit it.

drop tanks would look good on the sidepods....

[Rob]

"He ruled out the idea of shortening grand prix distances, and instead reckoned that the best way forward would be to raise the maximum fuel allowance.

"I think they can do something about the noise," he said. "If they need another 10kg of fuel or something like that, then I think everyone will agree."

This may be very difficult to do with chassis that are built to hold 100kg of fuel. I doubt, that with space being at such a premium, that many cars have 10% excess capacity. Perhaps Sir Bernard is thinking that the teams can bolt on some old P-51 belly tanks to increase fuel capacity.

The good news is that the first step in solving a problem is admitting that there is a problem. Now the FIA and the teams need to admit it.

Serious note, shortening GPs isnt best idea, be more like GP2. As you say, least now, they are sticking their heads up and noticing there is a problem.

[Suzie]

Can they do something about double points and drivers making themselves sick while they're at it?

[ferrari4life]

What was Ferrari's role in the push for engine regulations change?
I am refering to the period before this new turbo engine was set. Are we just being sore loosers since we cant make a good engine or were we never for this? I know Ferrari wanted some change but what were they pushing for instead before the FIA decided on these new engines?

[eddie]

Bring on artificial rain... haha

[Nero Horse]

Bring back the V10 or V12 engines, throw all these damn DRS and ERS gimmicks in the bin, bring back refuelling and then maybe the fans would start being a little more happier again.

[Greig]

If the racing is as good as it is today then there is clearly nothing much wrong with F1.

Fuel saving is hardly new for this era, I can agree the sound is the only thing really wrong.

[Nero Horse]

If the racing is as good as it is today then there is clearly nothing much wrong with F1.

Have to agree, overall the racing was pretty good today, just too bad we couldn't have more of a say in it.

[Gerhard Berger]

Bring back the V10 or V12 engines, throw all these damn DRS and ERS gimmicks in the bin, bring back refuelling and then maybe the fans would start being a little more happier again.

If V12 was allowed, no one would use it, it is too heavy. Ferrari realised this in the mid 90s, and it is why we switched to a V10. I would like to see the V10 return - they were brilliant sounding engines in the flesh.

[Nero Horse]

If V12 was allowed, no one would use it, it is too heavy. Ferrari realised this in the mid 90s, and it is why we switched to a V10. I would like to see the V10 return - they were brilliant sounding engines in the flesh.

Yea, the V10's are definitely lighter, but nothing sounds better than a V12 engine at full tilt, especially the Ferrari one. The V12 Ferrari F1 engine sound from 1989-1995 was the best musical masterpiece ever created.

[Suzie]

I prefer the old sound too, but to be honest the noise did not cross my mind once during that race today.

[Greig]

If V12 was allowed, no one would use it, it is too heavy. Ferrari realised this in the mid 90s, and it is why we switched to a V10. I would like to see the V10 return - they were brilliant sounding engines in the flesh.

Pretty sure we went to V10 at Schumacher's asking.

[Nero Horse]

Pretty sure we went to V10 at Schumacher's asking.

Yes, you're right about that, but this change certainly did have some significant benefits and the following success is proof of that.

[abbottcostello]

I don't like the thought of shortening the races!

Wouldn't more fuel enable higher revs & higher revs increase engine sound?

Wasn't there weight problems when KERS was introduced, until FIA got around to upping minimum the next year? Of course always falls to getting the drivers "fitter" (AKA skinnier) when the car is overweight.

[Senna4Ever]

According to a report in Austrian Broadcast they have build a technical group which is working on the "sound" issue.
And this should be fixed until Austrian Grand Prix ... maybe each country exchanges the place where this change of sound will happen ... seems they are afraid of the peoples reaction who paid a lot of money to hear a 'mower'

Renault and Ferrari of course thinking in bigger dimensions in terms of change
Mercedes of course just want to keep it at small as possible ...

[diesel08]

Ferrari must learn and adapt quickly. We are in hybrid era. Not the sound is the main problem, the speed and the lack of performance of the actual cars. And yes, this "100 kilos" is a negative part of the sport. Let's play without restriction on fuel.

[Hornet]

Ferrari must learn and adapt quickly. We are in hybrid era. Not the sound is the main problem, the speed and the lack of performance of the actual cars. And yes, this "100 kilos" is a negative part of the sport. Let's play without restriction on fuel.

Well I don't think anyone is looking to revert back to old engines. Biggest problem for me is the homologations as manufactures cannot freely develop this new technology.

We keep talking about exciting new technology, but how can this tech takes off if development is restricted. If we want the most out of this hybrid tech, we need to at least allow 2-3 years of continuous development while the tech is in use, and once everyone reach the maximum of what we can extract out of such design, then we can start homologating it, and also say "this is how you do it, this is how you get the best of this technology " and bring that knowledge to the real world industry.

[Nero Horse]

Well I don't think anyone is looking to revert back to old engines. Biggest problem for me is the homologations as manufactures cannot freely develop this new technology.

We keep talking about exciting new technology, but how can this tech takes off if development is restricted. If we want the most out of this hybrid tech, we need to at least allow 2-3 years of continuous development while the tech is in use, and once everyone reach the maximum of what we can extract out of such design, then we can start homologating it, and also say "this is how you do it, this is how you get the best of this technology " and bring that knowledge to the real world industry.

Yes, your comment makes perfect sense, but unfortunately there's no room for such logical thinking at FIA.

[RedRebel40]

They can't make the engines louder, its almost impossible with a turbo engine. Only way to do is having a higher HP Turbo engine in the regions of 1000 HP+. Those will sound louder but I don't think that they will go that way.

[PadGeT]

The teams, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone have all come to a unanimous agreement that the engines need to be louder and therefore they will investigate ways of making them so.
Following a meeting in Bahrain on Sunday, it was agreed that the noise was such a concern amongst fans, which could therefore damage the sports popularity, that urgent action must be taken. "It's something we have been addressing with all the manufacturers involved in F1," said FIA president Jean Todt. "So we must see if we can implement in short, medium, long term, a bigger noise. And that we will do and we will get unanimous agreement." The FIA will set up a working group where engineers from the teams and engine manufacturers will work together to come up with ways of increasing the volume. When asked when he believed the cars might be louder, Todt admitted he wasn't sure, but said on-track tests would happen after the Spanish Grand Prix. "It's very difficult for me to give you an accurate answer [timeframe]. "After Barcelona there will be two days testing, so hopefully there is something that can be tested."

[steelstallions]

The fans are voting with their feet and with their remote controls, the numbers are down and the spectacle is in trouble. http://www.thescuderia.net/forums/sh...-GP?highlight=

[Winter]

Any ideas what might be the solution for this sound problem? Twin turbo? More revs? Some poker cards flapping to the rims?

[Cheeseman]

Any ideas what might be the solution for this sound problem? Twin turbo? More revs? Some poker cards flapping to the rims?

Bigger exhaust with less restriction

[Winter]

Bigger exhaust with less restriction

Turbo works as muffler, I think that bigger exhaust makes the sound only more deeper not louder. I am ready to exchange that V8 high pitched sound to deeper turbo sound, if it's just LOUD enough

[FranksterGM]

Bigger exhaust with less restriction

Wont they use more fuel if they do that?

[Tifoso]

You see, this is why I, for one, don't "hate" Bernie.

He is right. It's fairly boring now. (It was fairly boring when we won almost every race, too. I'm consistent. ).

They need a new formula. Going back to V12's would be nice. Zero (or almost) aero. It's worked before. In race refueling. Say once per race. Longer life tires. Maybe more than 1 supplier.

In the end, the fact that the best racer (by a good margin) isn't winning at least a few races is ludicrous.

[aroutis]

You see, this is why I, for one, don't "hate" Bernie.

He is right. It's fairly boring now. (It was fairly boring when we won almost every race, too. I'm consistent. ).

They need a new formula. Going back to V12's would be nice. Zero (or almost) aero. It's worked before. In race refueling. Say once per race. Longer life tires. Maybe more than 1 supplier.

In the end, the fact that the best racer (by a good margin) isn't winning at least a few races is ludicrous.

Exactly that. F1 right now is just utter BS, and I don't care what people say.
Racing is not about "going efficient" , "going green", "spending less".
It's ALL about getting out there, going flat out and uh, ya, that thing called RUNNING.

And we don't really see that anymore, not really.

They're supposed to have new engines and they already don't allow development of the tech, in favor of ... what, spending? What is that ? I don't really know, but it definitely is not F1.