Ecclestone calls for scrap on 2014 engines
Bernie Ecclestone has called for F1's 2014 engines to be canned in favour of retaining the units already used by teams up and down the grid.
New environmentally-friendly 1.6 litre turbo-charged V6 engines are set to replace the current 2.4 litre V8 units from the 2014 campaign having been introduced by the FIA in an effort to make the sport 'greener'
The new rules are rumoured to have been one reason why Lewis Hamilton elected to move to Mercedes, given that he will now be closer to the development of its new engine, but Ecclestone has revealed that eh would like to see the rules scrapped - arguing that the change isn't cost effective at a time when the global economy is lurching from one crisis to another.
"I listened to the noise of the engines in Maranello the other day, the new engine and the old engine, and even (Ferrari chairman) Luca di Montezemolo said it sounded terrible and didn't like it," Ecclestone told the Hindustan Times. "[I think the FIA] will get rid of it. I think Luca is also saying we should suspend it for two or three years. I think it is sensible to get rid of it and stick with what we have got. It is much cheaper than the new one. It probably could be 30 per cent of the price.
"I blame the FIA for this stupid engine formula. It really wasn't Todt's fault, Max Mosley started the engine and then he got carried away... Todt really hasn't interfered with us. He has been travelling the world and seeing all the different federations but he hasn't bothered us."
