Difference of opinion over off-shelf packages
Despite the news that McLaren-Mercedes is to be involved with a 'B Team', Mercedes-Benz Motorsport boss, leading to talk of the new team running 'old' McLaren chassis and engines, Norbert Haug, has said that his company is against the idea and that in his opinion the rules forbid it.
"The story was we would use McLarens or change McLarens or whatever, but to my knowledge we cannot use McLarens, for a B-team," he said on Friday, "that is not allowed by the rules, and I think everyone should know that we are very much against used Formula One cars. We don't think that is the key to the future, we think it is against the independent teams if you sell used McLarens, Renaults, Ferraris and so on. We don't want to have that and this needs to be properly discussed.
"So the rumour that used McLarens can run in 2007 is not possible according to the rules," he added. "I don't know where this story comes from. Of course, there are discussions in place, there are contacts with various people, but no decision and I cannot see how that could happen in 2007 really, maybe things are changing but you need your own car, as far as I am concerned. This is how I read the rules.
When asked if the proposed rules for 2008 allow this, he replied: "They do not. That is in discussion. They do not.
"To my knowledge, we have no second hand cars in 2008," he continued. "Firstly we do not have the rules in place, secondly there are ideas on the table but this was never confirmed or written into the rules that used Formula One cars should be the future from 2008 onwards. Or I got it wrong, I don't know"
However, Renault boss, Flavio Briatore, sees it differently.
"I feel a bit different from Norbert," admitted the Italian. "We need to find a way to have a better show in Formula One. Formula One is a television event. Technology is important, everyone has technology. In GP2 we have technology and it is only a question of the way you packaged the technology. For me it is really strange. The GP2 championship costs 0 to 65 percent of what costs the championship of Formula One. I don't know what is the difference.
"We talk every year about all these technologies and things like that and in the meantime we have the spectators walk away from the television, in that time we have less spectators in the grandstand, and I mean, I see people enthusiastic to see GP2. I don't understand why GP2 cost 2.5 million and our team and other teams cost maybe between three and five hundred million. I do not see what is the difference.
"Regarding the car, and this is my idea from the beginning, it has not changed, if you have the freedom, why does the Jordan team need 300 people or 250 people. We need to encourage people to come into Formula One so maybe for one or two years you allow them to buy a car. I see nothing wrong. I did that many years ago with Benetton and Ligier. Benetton was always quicker than Ligier because the difference is the organisation, the driver and whatever. I mean, I have nothing against that.
"What I really want to see is Formula One more human," he continued, "to have a better show for our public and not spend this money we spend. Because for me, you see the race of GP2 and the race of Formula One and maybe next year the difference of GP2 to Formula One is just four or five seconds difference. Really, I don't know what is the magic about our racing. I see a lot of magic in GP2."
