'If you like the changes good, if you don't sorry, but you've a choice of stop or you can arbitrate,' Ecclestone tells Sky Sports News HQ
Wednesday 9 December 2015 10:42, UK
Bernie Ecclestone has told Sky Sports News HQ he is ready for a war with the engine manufacturers over power unit regulation changes.
Last week the World Motorsport Council [WMSC] voted to give a mandate to FIA president Jean Todt and Ecclestone 'to make recommendations and decisions regarding a number of pressing issues in Formula 1 such as governance, power units and cost reduction'.
For the moment plans for a simpler, cheaper customer engine in 2017 have been shelved and Ecclestone and Todt are set to present their proposals to the teams by January 31 2016.
"What we are trying to do at the moment is to get regulations for a new engine that is the same for everyone," Ecclestone told Sky Sports News HQ.
"We don't want different engines for different teams if we don't have to, if we have to that is what will happen, but that is what we would rather not happen."
Ecclestone hopes Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda will agree with his proposals when they discuss them, but is prepared for a fight.
"If they don't then maybe the FIA will have to write the regulations," he added. "If you like it, good, if you don't, sorry, but you've a choice of stop [competing in F1] or you can arbitrate."
However, Ecclestone admits that the mandate given to him by the WMSC may not be enough for him to push his ideas through, while question marks remain as to whether the FIA president is a strong enough ally for him.
"The problem with Jean is that if there is a problem he likes to have things very democratic," Ecclestone said.
"He wants everyone to be happy and everyone to agree, whereas when Max [Mosley] was in charge he hoped that he was leading the right decisions and hoped people agreed."
Ecclestone added he didn't feel Todt was committed enough to F1, compared to predecessor Mosley.
"He's been doing lots of other things, he is much more interested in road safety than Formula 1 or sports side of things," he added. "So maybe he should step back a little bit from Formula 1 and let someone else take that part of the FIA's commitments over."
Don't miss the F1 Midweek Report Season Review. GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne, former Manor president Graeme Lowdon and NBC F1 reporter Will Buxton join Natalie Pinkham to dissect 2015 on Wednesday at 8.30pm on Sky Sports F1.
