Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey has accepted the position of Ferrari in the sport is “unique” but insists they cannot be prioritised over others regarding the future.
The two parties are expected to have a tricky relationship during 2018 as owners Liberty Media look to reshape the F1 landscape but the grid’s most iconic brand is threatening to pull out if it doesn’t agree with how their vision shapes up.
The main areas of contention are engine changes for 2021, with initial proposals last October leading to chairman Sergio Marchionne’s quit threat, and financials, as F1 bosses target the Scuderia’s $100m bonus and look to introduce a budget cap.
“Ferrari has a unique importance and is a legend, but it must be treated like all the other teams,” Carey told Italian publication Corriere della Sera laying out Liberty’s position.
“We want them to remain part of the category — we want to change the sport for the better, not change the teams.
“We have to improve the show we offer on the track. The aerodynamics do not help and I am told that it is also a problem for some of the circuits.”
Also Read:
- F1 CEO Carey considers Formula E a “street party”
- Liberty/ Ferrari confrontation “inevitable”, says McLaren boss
- Current F1 grid “too small” to lose Ferrari, Mansell claims
Having tried to introduce greater transparency to the political scene in the paddock in his first year in charge, the American F1 boss is sure solutions can be found which suit all but did issue one warning.
“Agreements can be reached,” he insisted, “but the main objective is non-negotiable: the interest of the fans comes first.”