Q & A with Red Bull Racing's Tony Purnell

Q: You proposed earlier this year some radical ideas about qualifying. Where does it stand now?

Tony Purnell:

"I still perceive F1 as a big business but under-pinned by entertaining people, and the suggestions I made for qualifying were wholeheartedly aimed at providing better entertainment for people who go to the races - especially on Friday and Saturday - and for television viewers in general. I thought that to have [Michael] Schumacher show he is the best driver in the world - which I believe he is - in every circumstance, would be great. The public love it when Schumacher qualified badly because there is real interest there. So I am not saying the qualifying was a panacea but it was meant to be a constructive idea to entertain the public with."

Q: Do you see a way forward?

Purnell:

"No."

Q: Is the qualifying format going to change?

Purnell:

"I wish I knew. I think there is a sporting chance that qualifying will change again. In 2003, we had an F1 commission meeting, and it was discussed and agreed that we should air some ideas to the public and get feedback from what the fans said and television companies and journalists, and take action accordingly."

Q: Any talk in the meetings about how to change qualifying? There seem to be lots of ideas, but none that are best for sport. Anything going on?

Purnell:

"No. Bernie [Ecclestone] has got strong opinions on qualifying, and so do I. You said no-one has got strong ideas; well, I think I have, really."

Q: do you stick by the idea of holding mini races for qualifying?

Purnell:

"Absolutely. I thought it was a good idea and no-one has told me why it was a bad idea and the surprising thing is that what a lot of people were side-stepped by was that it was a bit left field. But I have been surprised by the number of people who have said, 'now I have thought that through and actually given where we are, it could well work rather well'. The only constructive criticism I have heard is that it could be more expensive because we have more crashed cars and I think to myself...what does Joe Public love and would we be able to cope? Of course we could."

Q: The real problem seems to be that the racing right now is so bad...

Purnell:

"I think you are alluding to a route cause problem and there would be no need to have fuel stops and tyre changes and this sort of things that has been introduced to the sport if the base product is fabulous. Actually the base product is not that bad, it is just that I think there are lots of people who feel it could be a lot better and it is very hard for teams to compete on a completely level playing field when team A spends three dollars for every dollar that team B spends."

Q: The feeling is that more could be done for the public; e.g. celebrity races in two-seater F1 cars

Purnell:

"It is nice to deal with facts, some produce data that television figures are holding up so there is no problem and if that is the case then you would have to agree that there isn't such a big problem. I myself think that F1 would be more appealing with a little bit more unpredictability but I would never want to get away from the best car and the best driver winning. I just want to make it harder work for them."

Q: Is there a quick fix?

Purnell:

"I don't think there is a quick fix. Michael [Schumacher] to retire probably, that would be a quick fix. I admire Michael - he is easily the best driver in F1, and I think it is right that he should win. I just would like it to be more difficult [for him]."

Q: Is the sport waiting for him to go, though?

Purnell:

"No. Everybody is on a different agenda. I will say that Flavio Briatore is a guy who is outspoken at wanting to entertain the public and he realizes how good F1 is and how much it has to offer and he has been in it a long time and he is very guarded against any extreme statements that this is wrong or that is wrong. and I think he feels - and I think we are aligned - that it is quite good but it can be better. So you need to be measured in your analysis."

Q: What kind of a year are we looking to in F1?

Purnell:

"I think it will be much the same as last year myself. The fantastic thing about human beings is that you can keep slapping them down but they jump up for more and people - presumably when Michael retires - know it will be a new era. But people admire Michael as really deep in everyone's heart, him winning all the time, that is OK because he is the best. And I believe he really is the best. Bernie says that it is good for the sport because we have got a bit of a legend in our midst, and he has got a point."

Q: But is it good for the sport?

Purnell:

"You can see his point...I think it would be absolutely bloody marvelous if [Schumacher] drove for Red Bull Racing. We could solve all the speculation in a heartbeat and sign Michael. He is experienced, he is enthusiastic and he is young!"

Q: Is there any driver out there who, in same equipment, could take on Michael?

Purnell:

"I think that, with respect, this comment leads to the thought that if you put Kimi [Raikkonen] or whatever in a Ferrari, would they whiz away and win? Then yes, I think they would. I think Michael's special talent is the way he glues the team together and constantly works with the engineers in trying to make the car better; his care to the staff is admirable. I have heard stories that he really does try and make everyone feel he values them."

Q: Do you think F1 has been damaged by Schumacher?

Purnell:

"No, I don't go along with that. I think there was a time you could say that about Jeff Gordon and NASCAR and in baseball and hockey they have mega stars, and there are eras, aren't there, and people like those eras when there is a fantastic guy."

Q: Well people love MotoGP's Valentino Rossi

Purnell:

"There are two things, in my opinion. One is his charisma and personality and one thing Rossi has done this year which people think is wonderful is that he has got on his bike which everybody knows is not the quickest machine in town and whallop, he is still a winner. Fantastic."

Q: So F1 needs Rossi, Murray Walker and a less grumpy Bernie. Would you agree?

Purnell:

"Rossi would be great for F1. I would personally would love it if the driver stopped on his slowing down lap and pulled out a hammer and chisel..."

Q: You said that Red Bull Racing put the fizz back in F1

Purnell:

"Red Bull is the only marketing company we are involved with in F1. There are six manufacturers, but Red Bull is a marketing company and I expect them to approach the presentation of the team with a little bit of an edge. That is what I want. Like refusing to announce the driver line-up until the last moment....when we are ready we will announce it."

Q: Are your views on what needs to change still same as before you came in?

Purnell:

"I think to improve F1 there are a few things I am sure of, provide red hot entertainment for the public and team budgets, you will get team budgets if it is fabulously entertaining. Again, I think F1 is inherently entertaining. Could it be more entertaining than at the moment? Probably, but we have got the hero factor with Michael.

"What we would all like is a three or four-way shoot-out to the last race. We had it in the past, and it becomes electric and make no mistake, McLaren are working at that, Williams, BAR, and maybe it will happen, but Ferrari are so strong."

Q: What is your take on the battle of Michelin versus Bridgestone next year?

Purnell:

"I was quite surprised at Sauber's switch to Michelin, that threw me a little bit, and it suggests that they view the Michelin as superior. We have never run on Bridgestones so I don't know, but look at the flip side - Michael Schumacher walked away with the Championship, and he was on Bridgestones. So I don't know."