F1 team bosses say Strategy Group format is not working

Last week, the Strategy Group met to discuss the sport's future and voted in favour of introducing faster, louder, wider cars with bigger rear tyres and the return of refuelling.

And while AUTOSPORT understands the prospect of customer cars dominated the discussion, nothing official was mentioned on the subject nor were any measures to cut costs.

Six teams - Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, Williams and Force India - sit on the Strategy Group, along with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt.

But Fernley believes that the teams should not have any say in the rules and instead defer to the FIA and promoter Formula One Management to make the call.

"I don't think the Strategy Group is fit for purpose," said Fernley in Monaco on Thursday.

"We should be looking at something where we have a clear programme.

"We have had 18 months to two years of Strategy Group work with nothing coming out of it.

"We need to look at a system in better way. In days gone by, with Bernie and [former FIA president] Max [Mosley] in charge, we knew exactly where we were.

"I don't think you should have teams making decisions on where Formula 1 is going. The teams should be told where Formula 1 is going."

AGREEMENT FROM RIVALS

Red Bull boss Christian Horner agreed and added teams will never be able to collectively agree because they have their own personal interests to protect.

"Every team has its own agenda and it's going to fight its own corner," said Horner.

"The sport is governed by the FIA and promoted by FOM and its those guys who need to get together and say: 'What do we want F1 to be?'

"Yes we want the cars to be quicker and more aggressive to drive but you are never going to keep everyone happy.

"Bernie and Jean need to get together and say this is what we want the product to be and how it is to be governed and then give us the engine and see if we want to enter.

"If you leave it the teams to try and agree a set of regulations, you'll never get everyone on the same bit of paper."

Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost added: "We are discussing too many things. We have too many useless meetings.

"It should be Bernie and Jean together who decide. They should not ask the teams because the teams will not come to an agreement."