‘If Ferrari wanted to leave F1, they should have’ - Ecclestone

Ex-Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he “never took any notice” of Ferrari’s threats to walkaway from the sport.

Ferrari has issued a number of quit threats over the years in F1, including throughout Ecclestone’s tenure at the head of the sport.

‘If Ferrari wanted to leave F1, they should have’ - Ecclestone

Ex-Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he “never took any notice” of Ferrari’s threats to walkaway from the sport.

Ferrari has issued a number of quit threats over the years in F1, including throughout Ecclestone’s tenure at the head of the sport.

Its most recent official threat came in 2018 when then-president Sergio Marchionne had concerns over regulation proposals for F1 from 2021 onwards.

In another development last month, Ferrari moved to deny that its team principal, Mattia Binotto, had warned that the Italian team could leave F1 if the budget cap was lowered further.

During a wide-ranging interview with Autocar conducted earlier this year, F1’s former ringmaster said he was never concerned by Ferrari’s regularly changing position.

“I never took any notice,” Ecclestone said. “I’m not a man to take notice of anything other than what I want.

“If Ferrari wanted to leave, then they should have done it. They never did, and as it happens I have only fond memories of Mr Ferrari.

“He always told me what was really going on, even when he was busy telling everyone else the opposite.”

Asked what’s bigger out of F1 or Ferrari, Ecclestone replied: “I think F1 without Ferrari isn’t at all good. And Ferrari’s brand is so strong that they could walk away from F1 and still be huge.

“Even when they aren’t winning in F1, you could ask a man in the street who won the world title and he would just say Ferrari.”

Ecclestone was ousted from his F1 role in January 2017 having held the CEO position since the 1970s. 

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