Former self styled Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has revealed how Ferrari are the favoured team at the pinnacle of motorsport, claiming that the Italian team’s success is vital to the sport and as a result has received a helping hand from officials and teams alike.
In an interview with La Repubblica, Ecclestone said, “F1 is Ferrari and Ferrari is F1. Helping Ferrari has always been the smartest thing to do. It was always done through the technical regulations. The teams are important to F1, but Ferrari is more than that. So many things have been done over the years that have helped Ferrari to win.”
Ecclestone insisted that F1 race director Charlie Whiting never used his position to benefit the Reds, but claims that former FIA president Max Mosley gave the team a helping hand when needed.
Ecclestone revealed, “Max has often helped Ferrari, and I too wanted them to win. There can be a season won by others, but even the other teams have an interest in challenging a competitive Ferrari. It’s one thing to win against Sauber and quite another to win against a red car.”
Ferrari were caught flat footed with the advent of the new turbo hybrid engine era which began in 2014, while Mercedes flourished. According to the sport’s former chief, the Silver Arrows provided help to the Prancing Horse – conspiracy theory that has done the rounds for a number of years.
Ecclestone added, “Certainly at one point they had help with this engine. It’s the same for Mercedes as it is for the others – a world championship win against Ferrari is always worth more. If Mercedes decided to transfer technology to Maranello, I say it was a good move.”
“What is certain is that this friendly situation between the two teams is the best thing for Mercedes. It means Red Bull did not have the most powerful engines and Ferrari was competitive enough to be a credible rival to beat,” added Ecclestone who turned 87 on Saturday.
Big Question: Is it fair to say that: F1 is Ferrari and Ferrari is F1?