Ecclestone: Liberty should consider electric switch for F1

Bernie Ecclestone believes that Formula 1 owner Liberty Media should consider switching to all-electric cars in the near future, turning the series into a "super Formula E".

F1 bosses are currently in the process of forming the technical regulations for the 2021 season, with a simplified version of the current V6 turbo hybrids set to be retained.

Liberty remains in talks with teams over the finer details of the new regulations, and is facing pressure from manufacturers such as Ferrari and Mercedes to outline the future direction of F1.

Speaking to reporters earlier this week in London, Ecclestone said that Liberty should consider a switch to all-electric regulations in the future to tie in with the heightened interest in electric vehicles, as reflected in the significant manufacturer involvement in Formula E.

"We still own the name Formula 1, we still have contracts with promoters. Let’s make different types of cars, let’s speak to the manufacturers and start a new all-electric F1, a Formula 1 for the future," Ecclestone said, as quoted by The Guardian.

"Can’t we do this? The manufacturers provide the cars themselves but we aren’t going to pay them because they get massive worldwide publicity. It would be a super Formula E, if you like.

"You can make cars be like an F1 car and the only thing you would miss would be the noise and I do not believe that people could not come up with something to make more or less the old F1 noise.

"They [Liberty] would need to have the balls to do it today. I think they will have to do it."