Even with F1 speeding towards its intriguing double-points title finale, money remains the big off-track topic of the moment.<\/p>\n
Although no longer trading and having laid off its workforce, Manor – formerly Marussia – is said to be in talks with investors about returning in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n
It’s a similar story at Caterham, where administrators have already raised more than half of the $3.7 million they need to revive the green team for the season finale, thanks to the controversial crowdfunding scheme.<\/p>\n
The team might also have another $55,000 in the kitty if it accepts an offer from the grandfather of British female driver Alice Powell, who wants to pay for a Friday practice drive in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n
“I am really hoping the administrators come back with a positive response,” Jim Fraser, Powell’s grandfather, told the Daily Mail newspaper.<\/p>\n
But if Marussia and Caterham do ultimately fail, talks about boosting the depleted grid with three-car teams will become louder.<\/p>\n
Currently, the F1 teams are awaiting a response from Bernie Ecclestone and F1 owner CVC’s Donald Mackenzie.<\/p>\n
It is believed they are considering releasing more funds, but who will actually receive the money is not clear.<\/p>\n
F1 supremo Ecclestone said in Brazil last weekend that the struggling small teams, including Lotus, Sauber and Force India, will not get the touted ‘fighting fund’.<\/p>\n
“We give these teams enough,” he said.\u00a0 “Not enough to survive in the way they are surviving, but enough to survive.<\/p>\n
“The way forward is very easy — don’t spend as much,” said Ecclestone.<\/p>\n
Another potential solution, although initially seemingly counterintuitive, is to give more money to the bigger and more stable teams.<\/p>\n
It is said Ferrari has already agreed to run a third car next year, but Red Bull is baulking at the apparent price-tag.<\/p>\n
“It’s between 35 and 40 million euros (to run a third car),” team boss Christian Horner is quoted by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, claiming the Briton wants CVC to pick up the tab.<\/p>\n
Horner is also quoted by Italy’s Tuttosport: “We could not deploy the third car within our current budget, so at the moment it’s not something we’re thinking about.”<\/p>\n
Mercedes, meanwhile, is not at all keen on the third car idea, but team chairman Niki Lauda is quoted as saying: “The distribution of money is first and foremost a matter for CVC.<\/p>\n
“We can do nothing but wait for suggestions.\u00a0 If CVC has a reasonable plan, we can talk about everything,” said the F1 legend.\u00a0 “Even free engines for the (customer) teams.”<\/p>\n
\u00a9 RIF | GMM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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