Former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell believes the sport cannot risk Ferrari following through on their threat to leave after 2020, arguing the grid is already smaller than it really should be.
The Scuderia, which the Briton drove for in 1989 and 1990, is putting their future on the line as teams prepare for a vital year of talks with owners Liberty Media to determine the future direction of F1, both from a sporting and commercial aspect.
A plan for cheaper engines with more standardised parts led to chairman Sergio Marchionne's ultimatum and while many have wondered if F1 could cope without their most famous team, Mansell has a more basic reason why Ferrari must stay.
"F1 will have great challenges ahead if they let any manufacturer walk away," he told Sky Sports. "We only have 20 cars on the grid now. In the heyday, there were 43 cars trying to qualify for 26 places.
"The fans worldwide are crying out to have 26 cars now. We need new drivers, new blood, new manufacturers to start competing on a level playing field."
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Though to keep Ferrari happy would likely mean a watered down version of what Liberty has planned for the future vision of F1, Mansell does accept the sport much change if it is to be successful again.
"Hopefully Liberty are going to get some new regulations that everyone will embrace and there will be a more level playing field where people can be competitive," he said.
"There is something wrong with any sport when you have, as a good or bad example, an incredible team like McLaren who have won so many world championships and an incredible manufacturer of engines like Honda, they couldn't get it together.
"It shouldn't be that difficult."
