Ecclestone: Only team we would miss is Ferrari
Bernie Ecclestone has added further fuel to the fire to those who contend that Ferrari get preferential treatment in Formula 1 compared to their rivals, by claiming that the Scuderia is the only team that would be missed from the top flight were it to disappear.
It has often been whispered within the grand prix paddock that if you are driving a scarlet machine, you are more likely to be let off an indiscretion than if you are behind the wheel of a different car, and Ecclestone's comment does nothing to dispel those suggestions. FIA President Max Mosley has previously stated that Ferrari is the most important team in the sport.
"It's bad for me to say this," F1's commercial rights-holder told the Financial Times, "but the only team we would really say we would miss is Ferrari. I wouldn't want to lose McLaren for sure. I wouldn't want to lose Williams."
Ecclestone went on to add that Honda – which announced last month that it was withdrawing from competition with immediate effect – would not be missed, criticizing the Japanese manufacturer for firstly over-spending to an inordinate degree, and then suddenly pulling the plug when the on-track results failed to come.
"They didn't even look for sponsors," underlined the 78-year-old, who conversely confirmed in an interview with German publication Sport Bild that he is 'helping with the rescue of the team [in] the role of mediator'. "They stopped because they were ninth. [They were] pouring money in like there was no tomorrow." Yahoo! Sports