Bernie Ecclestone says F1 Strategy Group should be axed

F1's commercial rights holder feels the influence the leading teams now have on F1's future is having an adverse effect compared to the days when he and former FIA president Max Mosley were in charge.

Although such an alliance had its own problems, at present there is often too much self-interest from the major teams that prevents firm decisions from being taken.

Ecclestone feels a more united front with FIA president Jean Todt would drive things on.

"We should stop mucking around and asking for opinions," said Ecclestone, speaking to AUTOSPORT.

"The problem is we are running something that is too democratic, and Jean won't go along with things.

"I said to him the other day 'if you come up with something sensible, on whatever it is, I'll support you.

"The same thing - if we [FOM] come up with something sensible you should support it'.

"Between us we should say 'these are the rules of the championship, if you want to be in it, great, if you don't, we understand'."

Asked whether F1's Strategy Group should be removed, Ecclestone replied: "Yeah, absolutely.

"It's bloody difficult for the constructors to come up with anything.

"If you were Mercedes you wouldn't want anything changed.

"At last month's Strategy Group meeting nothing was decided - not even the date of the next meeting.

"We could have voted on something then and put it through, but nothing."

Ecclestone has support from two of the teams in Red Bull and Toro Rosso, along with tyre supplier Pirelli.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently remarked: "Every team has its own agenda and is going to fight its own corner.

"Bernie and Jean need to get together and say 'this is what we want the product to be, this is how it needs to be governed', and then give us the entry form and see if we want to enter or not."

Toro Rosso counterpart Franz Tost added: "The Strategy Group itself will never come up with a proper solution.

"It should be Bernie and Jean together who should decide what we have to do.

"They should not even ask the teams because the teams never will come up with an agreement."

Hembery said: "In any sport it shouldn't be the competitors that are involved in deciding changes.

"As Christian said, defining between the FIA and FOM how the sport is going to be, and then the teams can decide whether they want to adhere to those guidelines."