Teams call on F1 boss to act

Niki Lauda and Eddie Jordan voiced their concerns to this week's AUTOSPORT magazine after it emerged at Indianapolis that Ecclestone had given an interview to ITV in which he slammed the current state of Formula 1. The interview was broadcast before the race.

Ecclestone's ideas include: a return to one tyre manufacturer for F1; to re-impose the ban on electronic driver aids; to forcibly reduce downforce levels; and revise the qualifying format.

Lauda said to AUTOSPORT: "The solution is just to do it. Don't ask the teams, Bernie should do it. He shouldn't mess around."

Jordan wrote to Ecclestone before the US GP urging that action must be taken to ensure F1's popularity.

"It is absolutely perfect at this moment in time for Bernie to take a firm hand," said the Irishman. "He is such a strong character and it almost needs a dictatorial hand - and I think people will take that from him and not from anybody else."

For more from Lauda and Jordan, plus the most comprehensive round-up of news from Indianapolis, see this week's AUTOSPORT magazine, on sale from Thursday.