F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes that too many of those in the sport are out of touch with the harsh reality of life, especially in terms of spending.

"There are still too many people in Formula One running around with rose-tinted glasses," he told the official website. "They obviously like to see the world as they want it to be - wonderful, the sun is shining, isn't life delightful - and not how it is. The downside of these glasses is that they blind you to reality."

Asked if he had any advice for Formula Fantasists, he replied: "Change the colour of your glasses and tighten your belts. Stop spending more than you need to.

"The teams have to learn to be competitive without tonnes of money," he continued. "They have to refocus again on the basics, on racing, spending on the sport, and not on baronial motorhomes and all kinds of entertainment."

This from the man whose demands have led to continued (above inflation) increases in ticket prices for fans, and contracts for the promoters. Who is determined to take all TV coverage to pay-per-view, who employs a scavenge of lawyers (alternative collective of noun) to ensure that nobody comes anywhere close to infringing his multitude of copyrights and who has overseen continued rule changes that have forced the teams to spend.

In terms of the championship, Ecclestone believes Sebastian Vettel is on course for his third successive title.

"Realistically, everything points to Sebastian," he said. "He's got it all: talent, passion, zeal, a clear head - and he hates to lose. I could imagine him beating Michael's record.

"If I were to bet now, it would be Sebastian world champion, Mark Webber second and one of the McLarens third, probably Lewis Hamilton."