Christian Horner says 'accountants shouldn't run Formula 1' as RRA rows continue

As discussions continue for motor racing's governing body to help police F1's Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA) in the future, Horner has issued his most outspoken criticism of the idea yet.

Horner is not against cost controls in F1, but does not believe the RRA is the right means - because of the difficulties in how it restricts activities of both independent teams and manufacturers.

His Red Bull team and Scuderia Toro Rosso have been alone in voting against the FIA's involvement, and without unanimous support the idea cannot proceed for 2013.

A likely delay until 2014 has not gone down well with other teams, but Horner is standing firm in his belief that any implementation of an RRA that involves control of spending is wrong.

"Our feeling is quite simple: F1 should not be run by accountants," he said when asked by AUTOSPORT about the latest developments on the RRA situation.

"It is a sport; and strong sporting and technical regulations are a better way to control costs than audits and examination after an event. It is important not to stifle creativity and ingenuity, but it needs to be done cost effectively.

"We are absolutely as keen as any other team to make sure the costs are controlled within F1, and the cost to be competitive is ideally reduced in F1, but it is our belief that that shouldn't be done through an RRA unless it potentially encompassed the entirety of a car or a corporate entity. But it is impossible to cherry pick elements."

Horner has openly stated several times that his outfit does not support the idea of an RRA that only control chassis costs. He wants similar restrictions placed on engines as well.

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn said on Friday that the chances of getting the necessary unanimous agreement for 2013 were receding, but that 2014 was still likely.

"It's difficult to see the FIA RRA being introduced next year unless there's unanimous agreement," he explained.

"We believe that you should still follow the policies and principles that have served F1 very well for a number of years - but our feeling is also on that basis, because there was a strong majority, it should be something which can come in for 2014."

When asked what Red Bull's position would be if the RRA went ahead for 2014 - which only needs majority support, Horner said: "It is a discussion that we inevitably have to have. The FIA is quite clear on what Red Bull's position is."