F1 should press ‘rain button’ during races – Ecclestone

F1 officials should have a ‘rain button’ to ensure excitement during a grand prix.

That was the suggestion of the sport’s famous chief executive Bernie Ecclestone during a typically controversial interview.

“There are race tracks that you can make artificially wet and it would be easy to have such systems at a number of tracks,” the 80-year-old told F1’s official website.

“Maybe with a two minute warning ahead of it.  Suspense would be guaranteed and it would be the same for all,” he said.

Ecclestone agreed with his protege Sebastian Vettel that the adjustable rear wings, set to debut in 2011 to help boost overtaking, might not be the best idea.

“To me this system looks pretty dangerous,” said the Briton.  “What if the wings are not up again before the corner and the driver is lacking downforce?”

Ecclestone also said he thinks he could have prevented Robert Kubica’s horror rally crash without forbidding the Pole from indulging in dangerous off-track hobbies.

“I would have told him ‘Listen, you are rallying next week so I guess you are a bit too tired for the test on the following weekend.  So let’s have your teammate and the reserve man do the sessions.’

“Do you think he would have taken the chance to rally?  I don’t think so,” said F1’s so-called ‘supremo’.

Ecclestone also said a decision about whether the Bahrain grand prix can be rescheduled this year, possibly at the end of the season or perhaps even during the August ‘break’, will need to be made soon.

“I have already spoken with FIA president Jean Todt about the possibility of finding a new date and we both agreed that a decision has to be made before the season starts,” he said.

He played down rumours a European venue, such as Alcaniz in Spain, could stand in for F1’s twentieth race.

“We don’t need an alternative race anywhere in Europe or any other place,” insisted Ecclestone.  “We need a race in Bahrain.

“I think the teams are sensible enough even to race in Bahrain in the summer break, and despite high temperatures, because this is the way we can support the country,” he added.

© RIF | GMM