Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has hit out at Luca di Montezemolo after the Ferrari president said the sport was not being run in a 'normal' way.

In response to other comments, including that the teams deserve a greater share of the sports income and that there should be greater transparency, Ecclestone revealed the precise extent to which the Scuderia is favoured compared to its rivals – to the tune of $80 million a year.

"The only thing he has not mentioned is the extra money Ferrari get above all the other teams and all the extra things Ferrari have had for years – the 'general help' they are considered to have had in Formula One," Mr E told British newspaper, The Times.

"Ferrari get so much more money than everyone else. They know exactly what they get, they are not that stupid, although they are not that bright, either. They get about $80 million - £54 million - more.

"When they win the constructors' championship, which they did this year, they got $80 million more than if McLaren had won it.

"What he should do, rather than asking for money, with all the extra money Ferrari gets, he should share all that amongst the [other] teams."

Ecclestone continued that the current deal with Ferrari was concluded back in 2003, when all the manufacturers' were threatening to set-up their own rival single seater series.

"They were the only team that broke ranks with the other manufacturers – why did they break ranks?" he asked. "That's where the $80 million comes in. We 'bought' Ferrari. We 'bought' Ferrari's loyalty. Our deal with Ferrari was that we 'bought' them so they would not go to the others."

As for the issue of transparency, Ecclestone pointed out that under the Concorde Agreement - the blueprint that dictates how the sport is run - the teams have the right to examine the finances of Formula 1.

"They have the right to send people into the company and search for everything," the 78-year-old confirmed. "Ferrari in particular, more than anybody, from day one, have had the right and they've never done it. We have bankers here and we've got CVC [the principal owners of F1] checking every single solitary thing.

"So anybody that starts saying that we've done anything wrong, I'll sue the a*** off them."