12/12/2014
NEWS STORY
Whilst lamenting the move to drop his double-points concept, Bernie Ecclestone insists that Korea's inclusion on the 2015 calendar is no ruse.
Among the most talked about topics in F1 this year was Bernie Ecclestone's proposal that the final race of the season see double points awarded to teams and drivers, the idea being to 'spice up' the title fight. Originally, mindful of Sebastian Vettel's domination in 2013, he wanted double points for the final three races but eventually had to do with just one.
Speaking to an invited group of journalists, including Christian Sylt, in London, the F1 supremo, when minded that attendance at the season finale in Abu Dhabi was up 20% on 2013, was under no illusions as to why.
"You know why?" he grins. "Double points.
"It caused a lot more interest didn't it?" he continues. "Nobody knew who was going to be world champion until the end of the race at the last lap."
Ignoring the fact that we all knew who was going to be world champion long before the last lap, Ecclestone is asked if the double-points concept should have been retained.
"No," he replies, "I think it should be the last three because we are going to have the same problem if one of the two Mercedes drivers does a little better than the other one the drivers' championship will be over."
Admitting that double-points will not rear their ugly head in 2015, he is asked about the sport's continuing ability to shoot itself in the foot, focussing on the negatives.
"We have got this bloody engine and it is a secret," he agrees. "Nobody has told the world what it does and how a wonderful piece of engineering it is," he continues, seemingly finally converted by the new formula, before adding his sucker-punch... "but I think that engine should be in the saloon car championship".
When asked about Korea's surprise inclusion on the 2015 calendar and whether it is, as has been suggested, a means of circumventing the engine regulations and effectively allowing drivers an extra power unit (and all the extras), he is quick to deny it.
"No, we have a contract with them," he insists. Asked if he thinks the race, which would bring the total up to 21, the most ever races on the calendar, he replies: "They would rather it not happen."
Asked why they (the organisers) signed the contract, he replies: "Like lots of things, as you grow older you learn. It seemed a good idea at the time. As my old mate Colin Chapman used to say, 'circumstances change'. We have to put them on the calendar and if we hadn't have done they could have sued us. We had them off for a year, agreed on the understanding that they would be back."
So, they can't sue Bernie but he can extract something from them because they haven't come up with their side of the deal... correct? "We wouldn't extract any more than the contract allows us to," he replies.
Asked if they have to pay the fee because they are on the calendar, he replies: "If that's what the contract says."
Asked why Korea wasn't on the provisional calendar 'leaked' around the time of the Italian Grand Prix, he reveals: "There has never been another calendar. I always propose the calendar. Change dates around to suit people because some people can't have a race because it's their grandmother's holiday and it's always been then since 1842.