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Jean Todt has revealed his ambition to welcome "or or more" new teams to formula one. Although Caterham returned in Abu Dhabi, the collapse of the least competitive backmarkers this year reduced the grid from 22 to just 18 cars.
It triggered speculation the top teams might be asked to boost numbers in 2015 by adding third cars to their garages. That prospect has now dwindled, with FIA president Todt saying 18 cars is sufficient for now. "We'll get a new team (Haas) in 2016," he is quoted by Speed Week.
"So in the worst case we will have 18 cars in 2015 and 20 in 2016. We could also make a new bid to attract one or more additional teams," said Todt. "But for this to be successful, the costs must be cut," he insisted.
Nonetheless, Todt does not want to overstate the significance of the two backmarkers' survival struggles, insisting it is just "part of the sport". "Of course I'm not happy about what happened to Caterham and Marussia," said the Frenchman. "But such things have always happened."
Toto Wolff, the boss of the new reigning champion team Mercedes, agrees that so long as F1 retains its 'core group' of teams, it will prosper. "They (teams) come and go," he told Maxim. "I think there is a core group that is really important, and that group has been there forever. That's important to remember," added Wolff. (GMM)
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
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Login to replyBtwnDitches
Posts: 204
Todt's comments mean nothing unless he is personally committed to enabling new teams to join, and is willing to plot and stare-down Mercedes, Ferrari, and others to get 'er done.
On another thread, I read today that lawyers who are very experienced in F1 contracting all agree that there is NO requirement for teams to run 3 cars to load the grid. Bernie and others can request it, but the teams don't have to go along - and I sure that several wouldn't want to, because of the cost. That woudl inhibit the big boys from doing so, because they'd look like they're "buying" races (even more than it now appears that way) and fans would clamor. Nobody want a single team taking all 3 positions on the podium.
And, Toto is full of crap! Yes, Mercedes has been in F1 pretty much from the git-go (witness Fangio), but where are the Maseratis, the Jaguars, the BMW's, Eagles, Brabhams, and a half-dozen other great car producers? They were once part of the core group, too, and gave Merc all they could handle!