Ferrari boss Marco Mattiacci is adamant that the best way forward for F1 is to create bigger revenues rather than change the way funds are distributed.
Mattiacci also put a big emphasis on the USA, and believes the country could support three races.
“Ferrari is very focussed on making the cake bigger, not to change a different way of how to slice the cake,” he said. “We don’t have to overreact. We need to look at first how to increase revenues, that’s priority number one.
“Second, to make sure that who comes in F1 is very well aware about the challenge of F1. This sport is innovation, innovation costs money, a lot of investment, long term investment. We keep investing in F1, we are here since decades, we will be for a long time, so that’s our focus.
“We are contributing a lot to the sport, supporting the teams that are working with us. We are ready to do our part, as we always said., I don’t think even if you redistributed revenues those teams would have survived or been competitive. There is money, managers, defining priorities of a project – some teams like Red Bull proved that, coming from very far, with a strong five years project, they came first to be competitive, and then be four-times World Champions. I don’t think that distribution is the solution.”
Mattiacci is adamant that teams have to have a solid business plan: “F1 needs competitive teams. There are many corporations around the world, many big brands, that should capitalise on a phenomenal motor sport platform like F1 is.
“We need competitive teams. I’m not here to say small, middle, we need competitive teams with a solid business background, a solid financial background. At the same time as a strong believer in F1 I think the focus is how to increase revenues, how to make the cake bigger. We are here I the United States where we see that F1 is getting traction. My focus as a company where 30% of the sales are United States I want to make sure we get more successful in the United States.
“I want an extra race in the United States. I want three races in the United States. That’s my proposal, because the American market is fundamental to generate revenues, to attract sponsors, so that’s my proposal.
“When you have more revenues definitely you can talk about having more teams on board. Again I don’t know what is the critical mass for those teams that are struggling, what is the amount of money they need in order to be successful or to be consistently in F1. Fifty million, one hundred million? I don’t know. Depends on the business model they want to establish.”
Adam Cooper F1 