FIA president Jean Todt has warned that not enough has been done to reduce costs in Formula 1 and that further action is required to protect the sport’s long-term future.
F1 budgets have been slashed in the past 12 months as a result of both the world recession and specific cost-cutting measures, and teams have signed a ‘resource restriction agreement’ committing them to reduce spending to early 1990s levels on an undisclosed timescale.
However, Todt believes F1 teams still tend to be short-sighted when it comes to recognising the dangers of spiralling costs, as demonstrated by the rash of manufacturer withdrawals in the past year.
While he said he did not favour a compulsory budget cap – which has always been resisted by some of the better-funded teams and nearly prompted a manufacturer-led breakaway from F1 when it was pushed by his predecessor Max Mosley last year – Todt made it clear that he expects the teams to make further economies.
“The F1 teams are sometimes blind and don’t realise what is happening in the world,” he said in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro.
“But motor racing has been hit like never before by the [economic] crisis.
“F1 is too expensive.
“Max Mosley made strenuous efforts to get costs down – but it was not enough, not least because certain teams wrongly resisted him.
“I am sad that Honda, BMW and Toyota have left, but when you spend huge amounts of money and the results don’t come, it’s inevitable.
“On the other hand I think it’s great that some new teams are joining F1.
“But the cost-saving measures taken so far are not sufficient.
“I am against limiting budgets by regulation, but if we want to safeguard F1 for the long term, a real awareness and some fundamental decisions are required.”
Todt said F1 also needs to improve its environmental credentials, particularly since it has now abandoned Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, and revealed that he has appointed former Ferrari engine chief Gilles Simon to investigate what more can be done in the field of alternative energy.
“I am convinced that we absolutely must take account of the environment, of new technologies, adapt ourselves to our times and fundamentally review motorsport, even create new disciplines,” said Todt.
“After the decision by the teams to abandon KERS, there will be nothing innovative in F1 next year. I think that’s a pity.
“I have therefore decided to create a working group, which will involve our environment and alternative energy commissions.
“Gilles Simon will join the FIA in this context.”
Regarding his green agenda, Todt added: “It’s a team effort, and I expect people to come forward with proposals in this area and on how to improve the show.
“If not then the FIA will act.”