I noticed on the autosport.com site that Bernie is reported as saying that the new teams have added nothing and that he’d be happy to return to a 20 car grid. He also said,
“All we ever want is 10 teams. Lotus is a good name. I wouldn’t want to lose them. But in general this year has been a bit of a nuisance because it has cost money to keep these [struggling] teams in. It has cost a lot of money to pay for them to compete.”
I guess it’s costing Formula One Administration but I confess I’m not sure.
At first look this looks like a typical Bernie Ecclestone prelude to a negotiation session (echoes of the British Grand Prix, etc.). He’s a shrewed guy with his eye firmly on the bottom line. But surely he recognises that you have to have new blood in the family or you’re heading for certain extinction.
What do you think?