Ecclestone to buy Ferrari?

[F1Babe 0]

Bernie Ecclestone, the billionaire ringmaster of Formula 1 has admitted that he'd be interested in buying Ferrari if the price was right.

"It would depend on how the company was structured," Ecclestone told Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sport, when asked if he would consider buying Ferrari. "The brand is strong [but] Ferrari spends much of its profit from car sales on motor racing. If it didn't do that, would they sell? I don't know if I want to buy shares, but for sure I'd be interested in buying Ferrari

[daz 0]

Bernie must keep his greedy little paws off my team....

Seriously though - Bernie owns to much of F1 as it is allready. Can you imagine if he now owned a team as well? He would just keep changing the rules to make sure he won every round of the championship...

[nichosnz 0]

Apparently even with F1 racing Ferrari makes a lot more money than any other Fiat brand. But as you say daz, although BE and Max have both owned teams in the late 70's early 80's, they were not F1 bosses at the time, it would be unprofessional of them to do so now, without forgoing their current roles.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

I hope Bernie doesnt buy Ferrari, then the team would go straight down to the level of BAR. Although Im not a Ferrari fan, Id prefer to see them competitive though.

[nichosnz 0]

Similarly I am not a McLaren or Willaims fan and I don't like to see them fall to far, unless another team is (truely) competetive to (temporarily) take their place.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

I'd like to see much more than just 3 competitive teams, and much better tracks than some we have now. But nothing can be perfect...

[nichosnz 0]

I think you are pushing s##t uphill at least for a while with that one Jens, even though I agree I would like to see an F1 with interpretable rules like we have, yet ever few years get to a point where any of the 20-24 drivers could win the coming race.

"Dreamer, I know I am a Dreamer"

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Haha! That is the good side with CART, because a lot of drivers in the field can win any given race.

[rodders47 2]

I have the answer.. Let / persuade Bernie to BUY either Arrows or the defunct PROST team.....

Then as sure as the sun is to rise in the east all the rules would change, as I see it Qualifying would have a NEW meaning... namely the SLOWEST would get POLE and no one would be allowed to overtake for the first lap. THEN if a competitor was to be going too fast and may overtake Bernie's LEAD driver the "Screwinear" would apply the "Pit Speed Limiter" just by pushing a botton, the technology has already been established for such a situation, in order to slow him down for maybe a lap or two.. If that was not successful well would have to resort to the Safety car, and if all else failed well sabotage the re-fueling rigs for the other teams..

Hey this is all "Tongue in Cheek" but sometimes I DO wonder about the almighty BERNIE and HIS Formula One Racing Crcus

[Crash 0]

I think if Bernie owned Ferrari, he would do one or two things.

1. He`d dump Rubens, for a more competitive teammate.

2. No team orders

3. Failing 1 or 2 working, he`d drag Ferrari down to Williams/MClaren level.

To make things more interesting, get the viewers back in their armchairs. Then i think you`d see all the key players leave Ferrari, Todt, Rory, Brawn and i think even Michael would be squirming to escape dear old Bernie....lol

Cheers Crash

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

LOL Rodders that would be just about what would happen if Bernie took over Ferrari But in the real world, I think it would be more like what Crash said, he'd try to make it better but would just fail badly.

[nichosnz 0]

Bernie did lead Brabham to 2 DWC's in the early 80's but it is a very different arena now!

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Early eighties is vrey different, as it is now early zeros (? ). There are a lot more things going on now compared to when it was all fun and simple..

[nichosnz 0]

Senna hadn't even made his debut yet. Alonso wasn't even born at the time of the first one.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

It is funny to think that Alonso wasnt even born then, and that he was 19 all last season, and people called Raikkonen young at 21! I have friends older than Alonso!

[nichosnz 0]

It wasn't too many seasons ago there was finally a driver younger than me, now at least half of them are.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

There has been a real surge of young drivers since 2000. Heidfeld is one of them, but is only around 25 I believe. Even Villeneuve, who was champ all the way back in 97 is still 29 or 30..

[nichosnz 0]

Heidfelds Younger, Villeneuve's older. But you're right lots of youngies.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Yea, and I wont be surprised if Antonio Pizzonia gets the nod for a race seat at Jaguar next season instead of Webber or other potentials.

ps. off to sleep, 0030 here in California now

[nichosnz 0]

You have often said California, but I don't recall a city. I'm not familiar with the US though, so unless it is LA, San F, San D, or Saccremento, you will have to tell me how far for one of those you are. For reference in NZ it is 7:30pm. Saturday night.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

NZ is 19 hours ahead of us, funny to think about it being the next night over there already I live about 50 miles south of San Fran.

[nichosnz 0]

There was in the 80's a Charlie Brown poster that said "The world can't end today, because it is already tomorrow somewhere else".

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Haha, that is very well said

[nichosnz 0]

It is like all this talk about the events of Sept 11 last year, in NZ it was already the 12th when it happened.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Hahhah so there you know it as 12/9 (or 9/12 not sure which way)