Bernie to allow 4 car teams

[pink69]

From Autosport.com

Imagine four Ferraris in a GP...

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes that allowing big teams such as Ferrari and McLaren to enter four cars could hold the key to securing F1's long-term prosperity.

Speaking in Monaco, Ecclestone predicted that the current financial climate could force some F1 teams to shut down and that a rethinking of the rules was required to ensure full grids.

"What some teams must realise is that they are sitting in a high-powered poker game but, as the ante is upped, maybe they don't have enough cash to stay in," he said. "I'm sure we are going to lose one or even two teams before the season is over.

"It costs very little more to produce four cars. In fact, teams will be here in Monaco with two extra cars they will not run. We have always based the sport on a grid of 20 cars not the number of teams.

"It would make the grid more competitive if you had more of the top cars running against each other. Imagine four Mercedes, four Ferraris, four Renaults, that sort of thing."

Ecclestone also warned Ferrari that it risks damaging the image of the sport by orchestrating another formation finish as it did in the Austrian GP.

"Ferrari would be ill-advised to do such a thing in the future," said Ecclestone. "The only time I would condone it would be if the world championship hung on it. But Michael is 27 points clear."

[steve_r]

Noooooooooooooooooo......................

[Osella]

Nooooooo to four car teams? Its not a bad idea! Also, ban pit-to-car radio so they can't receive orders so easily!

[Lee Janotta]

There goes the neighborhood...

Damn! Just when you think something might have finally clicked into place in that wrinkled misshapen head!

[alfasud]

Oh good, I can just see it..... A1 ring 2003, three cars slow down to allow the number 1 driver to pass!!!! And of course you might find that there are sometimes three very difficult to pass cars on the track.

And I don't just mean Ferrai, they'll all be at it. If these sort of measures are really needed to save costs, it might be better to relax the rule about having to build your own chassis.

[Glen]

I think you'd have to have A and B teams, with the same prohibition on collusion as if they were separate teams.

[Tristan]

That's just as rubbish as Bernies idea, Geln. If not worse in fact.

[J.McClane]

Bernie to allow 4 car teams.
Really?
Well, that will be 3 more drivers told to move and let Shu win then

[paulzinho]

They used to do it a long time ago didn't they!!

[Glen]

Originally posted by Tristan
That's just as rubbish as Bernies idea, Geln. If not worse in fact.

Nice of you take the trouble to qualify your rubbishing. Oh, you didn't. May well be rubbish, but perhaps you could spare a sec to explain why?

[paulzinho]

Glen, to be honest I don't think that idea would be viable, simply because the teams would find a way around it. Like they did with traction control.

[Kex]

In 1978 there were five McLaren-Fords starting a few of the races. Same with Lotuses in the 60s.

I think it's not a bad idea, the more cars the better. However I thought they were trying to cut costs....

[Stephen Green]

Since when has a 20 car grid equalled twelve teams each with two cars? In my maths that comes to 24 cars?

[Nicholas]

Originally posted by Glen
I think you'd have to have A and B teams, with the same prohibition on collusion as if they were separate teams.

A bit like Ferrari and Sauber really isn't it...except for the last bit.

[R]

Originally posted by pink69, quoting Bernie Ecclestone
We have always based the sport on a grid of 20 cars not the number of teams.

Rubbish. The sport was "based on" a grid of 26 cars for as long as I can remember, until that started to drop just a few years ago. And there were heaps of drivers who failed to qualify... Go read your history books, mr. Ecclestone.

I can see the point in allowing teams to run more than 2 cars in order to get the grid up to the size it should be though. But I can also see the point which was mentioned earlier of the very probable scenario of three cars in stead of one pulling aside to let the no. 1 driver through...

[Glen]

Although I can see the principle being put forward here, I really don't think it's al tht likely that all three team-mates would be ahead of the number one! It's only been once or twice that it has happened with two of them.

[Mr V]

for fairness in the constructors championship, each team with more than 2 cars, i think those teams will have to nominate just 2 cars that can score points for the team, however, should the "third" (or "forth") driver score points, they go towards his own tally.

[Liz]

Another dumb way to make sure TGF "wins" all the races.

What, is TGF Bernie's heir or something?

[EERO]

Originally posted by Kex
In 1978 there were five McLaren-Fords starting a few of the races. Same with Lotuses in the 60s.

I'm not sure that they were all team cars-but Marlboro-BRM ran 5 cars in '72.

[Startline1]

Should we be suprised with Bernie`s bad idea given his past record??

4 car teams would mean all sorts of blocking tactics.

[Gt_R]

Quote Liz:"Another dumb way to make sure TGF "wins" all the races"

Ah...so everything that is suggested to change F1 cannot be denied its right into your world of conspiracy ya?

Latest check of Bernie's words...he said that big teams like Ferrari and Mclaren are allowed 4 cars entry. Using Ferrari and Mclaren as examples, his suggestion would apply to every other big teams like Toyota, Renault, Williams... not "ONLY FERRARI ALLOWED 4cars". So logically speaking, your statement doesn't stand... but heck...how often do we see logic in this forum lately?

But ask me and i'd tell you that i'm not in favour with Bernie's latest idea too. (or as u put it, DUMB)I prefer if Ford, Ferrari, Renault produce customer engines, while some other non-works companies could produce a customer chassis (maybe Barnards engineering company?) for sale. Entrants just need to mix-match their chassis and car and then this would greatly lower team costs while allowing them to race competitively in the series.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Startline1
Should we be suprised with Bernie`s bad idea given his past record??

4 car teams would mean all sorts of blocking tactics.

This would be a very real problem, because some cars could actually start on a lighter fuel load, while the other two simply blocked the oppositions' cars. I raised this issue last year concerning teams with customer cars blocking the opposition while the factory cars went on to score more points.

I think Bernie would allow rickshaws onto the grid if he could squeeze more money out of F1. This guy is motivated by pure gred. Do you think he gives a damn about Rubens being asked to pull over? He is worried how the fans reacted.

Valve[img]http://www.**************************/smilies/bouncy.gif[/img]

[freud]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce


I think Bernie would allow rickshaws onto the grid if he could squeeze more money out of F1.

[Markules]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce

I think Bernie would allow rickshaws onto the grid if he could squeeze more money out of F1. http://www.**************************/smilies/bouncy.gif[/img]

Memories of Forti's and Pacific's respective efforts come flooding back...

I dunno if the idea of four cars is a good un - I seem to remember Ron Dennis dismissing the idea a few years back because the logististical requirements of running a third car would be doubled, so let alone the prospect of four cars...

Perhaps they should look at extending the testing ban - for instance, during the season, have a window of two days in which a team can test between races.

Another option would be to make the engine regs fall in line with those of another series. Seeing as the new one engine per weekend regs will mean engines have to last longer as a rule, developing them further for CART/IRL, sports car racing, etc presumably wouldn't be as much of a problem as it had been in the past, and would help spread the costs somewhat, provided they can make the engines cheap enough for customers in the other series.

[f1manoz]

4 car teams?

Well, if car numbers do dwindle due to the finanical climate at this time, perhaps that is the only way to keep the sport healthy. Teams like Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, Renault and Jaguar should be able to afford it.

But if it means having to watch FOUR Ferraris in front, and 3 having to move out of the way for TGF (and I can forsee that occuring) then no thank you.