F1 CEO: Ferrari MUST be treated like all the other teams

Formula One CEO Chase Carey has insisted that Ferrari 'must be treated like all the other teams' in the sport in regards to the Prancing Horse's continuous complaints about engine changes and their subsequent threats to leave F1 altogether if compromises cannot be reached.

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has been the biggest critic of Liberty Media's decision to limit engines to three per season as well as introduced more standarsised engines and a budget cap from the 2021 season onwards.

F1 chief executive officer Carey says he respects what the Scuderia has accomplished in the sport, but that they must be treated like all other teams.

"Ferrari has a unique importance and is a legend, but it must be treated like all the other teams," Carey told Italy's Corriere della Sera.

"We want them to remain part of the category -- we want to change the sport for the better, not change the teams.Agreements can be reached, but the main objective is non-negotiable: the interest of the fans comes first.

"We have to improve the show we offer on the track. The aerodynamics do not help and I am told that it is also a problem of some of the circuits."

Liberty Media and Carey have been in place for just over a year now, and the CEO is happy with the developments the new owners have made so far.

"In the beginning, the priority was to look at the organisational parts, and we did that," Carey continued.

"Then we wanted to give a fresh air to the environment, as only negative things were being heard -- like when Bernie said he would not spend money to watch a race.

"Now everything is more open, there is a lot of social activity, ticket prices have gone down and we have created entertainment areas for the fans. All that accelerates the change."