F1 should switch to electric cars, claims Bernie Ecclestone

F1 should switch to electric cars, claims Bernie Ecclestone

Originally written by Joas van Wingerden. This version is a translation.

Sunday 25 February 2018 15:06

Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has claimed that current owners Liberty Media should consider a complete switch to electric cars, in order to see off the growing threat of Formula E and ensure F1 moves with the times.

Ecclestone was speaking to reporters in London this week, and has previously been vocal about his displeasure in the way LIberty have been running the sport since taking control from him in 2016.

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Bernie believes that it is a necessity that F1 diversifies the product, for PR and also environmental reasons, and feels that Liberty should already be considering a wholesale engine changes as part of its plans for the future.

He said: "We still own the name Formula 1, we still have contracts with promoters. Let’s make different types of cars, let’s speak to the manufacturers and start a new all-electric F1, a Formula 1 for the future.

"Can’t we do this? The manufacturers provide the cars themselves but we aren’t going to pay them because they get massive worldwide publicity. It would be a super Formula E, if you like.

"You can make cars be like an F1 car and the only thing you would miss would be the noise and I do not believe that people could not come up with something to make more or less the old F1 noise.

"They [Liberty] would need to have the balls to do it today. I think they will have to do it."