Renault Boss Opposes Formula One on Pay-TV

The head of Renault Sport says it is out of the question for Formula One racing to be broadcast on pay-television channels.

Asked by French daily La Tribune whether Renault and other car manufacturers in Formula One would be prepared to create an alternative racing circuit, Patrick Faure said: "We all want to maintain Formula One, which has never performed better."

"But one thing is sure - it is out of [the] question for us to participate in a competition broadcast over pay-television channels."

Faure was speaking in an interview published on Thursday in the wake of last week's deal in which Germany's Kirch Group agreed to rescue German media group EM.TV - a move which gives Kirch a large stake in Formula One holding company SLEC.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has opposed the deal and Max Mosley, head of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), is also against the agreement.

The deal would hand Kirch 25.1 percent of EM.TV's voting rights and half of its 50 percent stake in SLEC.

Ecclestone was quoted on Tuesday as saying he had been asked by carmakers to look into the possibility of establishing an alternative race series.