Bernie Ecclestone’s ‘green’ solutions
The chief financial officer of Formula One does not like the technical regulation projects for 2013 but has plenty of ideas to reduce F1's impact on the environment.
For several seasons now, the FIA has wanted to initiate the ecological shift: introduction of diesel with particulate filters or biofuels, implementation of energy recovery systems or all-electric promotional formulas, and, soon, technical revolution in Formula One with the 1.6-liter turbo engine project by 2013.
A man, however, continues to resist the green wave: « I am against, against, against, against the switch to this small turbo engine » declares Bernie Ecclestone.
« Before anything else, I have no problem with Jean. […] However, I am not satisfied with the engines. Take a GP3 car: that is how Formula One will sound in the future. People come for the noise and the speed. I think Jean is following what Max [Mosley] started, and I don’t know how the idea of ‘green’ racing came to him. »
Many motorsport enthusiasts have indeed expressed their emotions at the idea of no longer hearing the V8 engines purr, just as they were touched by the end of the V10 and shed a tear when the iconic sound of the Renault engine faded at the twilight of the 1997 season. Bernie Ecclestone intends to play on this sensitive string to get his way: “I took some Russians to Singapore and saw them again in Russia afterward, it was their first time attending a race, and I asked them what impressed them the most. I wasn’t even thinking about the noise, and they told me that the main thing was the noise: it’s incredible!”
The noise of the engine, 2013 version, would therefore threaten the image of Formula One, one of Bernie Ecclestone’s prerogatives, who is keen to point it out: « To be honest, [Todt] is not a promoter, he doesn’t have to sell Formula One. Jean and I are rather at odds regarding this engine. »
« It has nothing to do with Formula One. These changes will be terribly costly for the sport. I’m sure the promoters will lose a lot in audience, and I’m sure we will lose TV broadcasters. »
But the Formula One financial officer also has ideas to make F1 more eco-compatible: « If you really want to reduce emissions, you can ask promoters to reduce the capacity of their circuits by 10 to 15%. 15% fewer people coming to watch the races would make a difference, and then we could do the same with football. »
From this point of view, the Abu Dhabi circuit would be the most ‘ecological’ on the calendar with its maximum capacity of 50,000 spectators, but it also happens to be the most exclusive and one of the most expensive for spectators. Bernie Ecclestone certainly does not lack ideas.
And you, how would you make Formula One more ‘green’?
