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Mercedes chairman Dieter Zetsche says he wants formula one to maintain a healthy grid. As backmarkers hit the wall in 2014 and three more small teams argue loudly about costs and power, talks to fix the sport's issues have so far produced scarce results.
But Zetsche told Germany's Sport Bild: "Of course we have an interest that, within certain limits, we have a broad field of competitors." He said there are talks behind the scenes about how F1's commercial income is split between the big and small teams and the owner CVC. "In this respect, we are involved in constructive discussions," added Zetsche.
Switzerland's Blick reports that the latest idea to help Lotus, Force India and Sauber stay afloat involves the high cost of buying engines from the big carmaker teams. The newspaper said that in the coming weeks, it will be discussed that instead of the small teams being billed directly, CVC will send payment for the expensive V6 engines straight to their suppliers Mercedes and Ferrari. (GMM)
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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Login to replyBtwnDitches
Posts: 204
This sounds like a 1-year proposal, because there's no mention of engines funished by Renault or, perhaps later, from Audi, Honda, etc. if they should also furnish PU's to teams.
This offer should include/extend to any/all new teams which are accepted for F1 racing in 2015 and teams, like Caterham, which return to the grid in 2015 after re-organization by new owners during this off-season or during the season. And it should include 100% of the provision and use charges by the furnishing constructors, not just some cercentile "game."
I assume that this offer relates only to "rented" engines, so that there would be no ownership of engines by CVC which definitely could be improperly leveraged against receiving teams, to manipulate them. There should be absolutely no "strings" of control or management influence by CVC on receiving teams which exceeds that which they have most recently endured via direct dealings with Merc or Ferarri. That includes CVC arranging for cheap, "second class" PU's or those without the same upgrades as/when the furnishing constuctors provide those to their own "factory-associated" teams and to others with membership in the Strategy Group who don't get these subsidies.