Symonds: Formula 1 is not a sustainable business model

One of motor racing's most experienced engineers Pat Symonds says that the current Formula 1 business model is not sustainable and in fact is a mess.

Speaking during the Autosport Show, Williams chief technical officer Symonds said, "It [Formula 1] is not a sustainable business model, if you want to call it a mess it's a mess."

"There's a reluctance to sit down and sort it out, the trouble is so much is done without the transparency I believe we should have and those working hard to protect their position are doing so."

"It's their job of course, you won't get Ferrari saying 'guys, we've got far too much money, we'll give you some'. It's unrealistic," he explained.

"What we really need to do is to start again, [but] that won't change until the current commercial deal expires. Don't get me wrong, it should be a meritocracy, it's just a bit too biased towards the top at the moment."

In Formula 1, they say its tough at the top, but it's even more tough at the bottom," mused Symonds whose career in F1 started in the early eighties with Toleman.

"We do have a business to run and unfortunately as we've seen its one barely sustainable. It's tragic two teams have gone and we have another three struggling," concluded Symonds with reference to the beleaguered Catreham and Marussia teams which collapsed in 2014. (GP247)