F1 Drivers Have it Too Easy, Says Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone believes technical advances have made driving Formula One cars too easy and have contributed to making the sport less interesting for spectators.

The Formula One supremo also said Jacques Villeneuve could challenge World Champion Michael Schumacher's dominance if he was in a more competitive car and called for changes to testing and qualifying.

"The trouble is the technicians have got in front of the drivers," Ecclestone said in an interview with ITV television ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix. "It's not decrying what Michael and the other drivers do, but their life is a lot easier than it should be."

Schumacher and his Ferrari team have dominated the 2002 season and the German wrapped up the World Championship in record time. He has won a record 10 races this year, the last at the Belgian Grand Prix earlier this month.

"I watched the on-board camera with Michael and he was sitting there like he was just going to the shops," said Ecclestone. "If I could, (I'd introduce) a one-tyre formula, cut out electronics, reduce the aerodynamic effect on the cars. That would be a big step forward."

Since Schumacher won his record-equalling fifth title at Magny Cours in July, television audiences have fallen and Ecclestone said he understood why.

"We have to get our act sharpened up, we haven't got a very good act at the moment," he said. "Nobody's to blame. You can't blame Ferrari for winning, they've all got the same regulations and that's what they're there for."

But he said he was optimistic that next season Ferrari would not have it all their own way with Williams, McLaren and Renault challenging their superiority.

"I think you'll see those teams much, much more competitive," he said. "I'm not going to say that Michael won't win another World Championship, because I think he will. But I don't think it'll be that easy."

Asked which drivers he thought could challenge Schumacher, Ecclestone backed Finn Kimi Raikkonen, both Williams drivers and 1997 World Champion Villeneuve.

"Young Kimi with McLaren, he's doing a good job. Obviously (Juan Pablo) Montoya, Ralf Schumacher and I'd like to see Jacques Villeneuve in a competitive car.

"I'd like to see him sitting beside Michael, I think you'd get some good races out of him," he said of the British American Racing (BAR) driver.

Four Sessions

Ecclestone said he would also like to see the introduction of four half-hour qualifying sessions spread over Friday and Saturday with times aggregated to decide the grid positions. This, he thought, would force the top teams to do more qualifying laps and make the sessions more spectator-friendly.

He said that the financial problems that have hit the sport this year mean that the sport must look at curbing in-season testing.

"But we're certainly looking into all that business of testing and how to restrict it," he said. "The biggest problem is when they test on Grand Prix circuits. If one goes they all have to go. They like to test as much as possible, but they spend a lot of money so they need to cut back."

He also proposed centralising the television coverage of F1.

"There's a lot of countries where the television hosts don't do a very good job," he said.

"If Michael gets off at the start, it's no good following him. There's so much super racing going on down the field. We can produce television for worldwide, have one director so we get some consistency."