Ferrari Must Stay Beyond F1 2020: Mansell
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1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell believes that no manufacturer, particularly Ferrari, should walk away from the sport. Especially after the F1 2020 season, where a massive overhaul of the rules is expected. F1’s owners, Liberty Media, will be continuing to conduct talks with the teams through 2018 over future engine rules and budget caps. All this will be in their bid to make the sport more competitive.
However, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne issued a threaten to quit if the sport does not go in a favourable direction. Fellow manufacturers Mercedes and Renault have also voiced concerns about some aspects of the 2021 engine proposals.
via Imago
Mansell feels that teams like Ferrari must stay in the sport beyond the F1 2020 season
Mansell is of the opinion that F1 needs to ensure there are more teams than the current 10. He said, “Absolutely not. Formula 1 will have great challenges ahead if they let any manufacturer walk away. We only have 20 cars on the grid now. In the heyday there were 43 Formula 1 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.”
F1’s bosses are hoping to attract more manufacturers by reducing the cost of competing and increasing the chances of more teams winning races. High profile manufacturers like Aston Martin and Porsche have already looked favourably upon the 2021 regulations. This year too will have just 10 teams on the grid.
The Briton said, “We’ve got a backlog of great drivers wanting to come into Formula 1 and we need more manufacturers with at least 26 cars on the grid. 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. 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.”
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