05/02/2015
NEWS STORY
F1's Strategy Group is meeting in Paris today as the sport looks to the future.
The group, which comprises the FIA, Bernie Ecclestone and six "leading teams" - Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, Williams and Force India - is to discuss a range of issues including Ecclestone's controversial move to change the engine formula yet again, the F1 supremo seeking 1,000 bhp power units.
Speaking recently, Ferrari's new team principal Maurizio Arrivabene called for more "rock 'n' roll" in the sport, the former Marlboro man looking to F1 to reach out not only to existing fans but to recruit new, younger followers. This, seemingly, in stark contrast to Ecclestone who sees the sport's demographic in terms of the 40+ generation, those with access to more money and eager to spend it on watches, cars, and the like, as opposed to youngsters. A claim the F1 boss subsequently denied.
With an eye on the depleted grid this year, the sport is still looking to cut spending, though it is the leading teams that form the Strategy Group that usually stand in the way of any worthwhile reforms.
Indeed, such is the self interest among certain teams that there is already talk that they might scupper any bid by Marussia (Manor) to return to the grid, with an eye on the (rumoured) £35m prize pot the British outfit has yet to claim.
Despite his team's impressive form at Jerez, last night Arrivabene admitted that whilst impressed with the SF15-T's pace and reliability, his attention was on Paris, "where tomorrow’s meeting will decide the future of our sport".
As we know from experience, when certain teams say "our sport" they mean "their sport", the bottom line being that whatever decisions come out of today's meeting - which would still have to be ratified by the F1 Commission - those charged with deciding the sport's future will be thinking purely of what's best for them.
Chris Balfe