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Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone revealed that Ferrari gets up to $US80 million ($A117.2 million) more out of the sport than any other team because of a special deal set up five years ago to buy the team’s loyalty.
After Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo accused Ecclestone of not running F1 in a normal, transparent manner, the 78-year-old billionaire told The Times of London how much the famous Italian sports car manufacturer received from the sport.
“Ferrari get so much more money than everyone else,” Ecclestone reportedly said. “They know exactly what they get, they are not that stupid, although they are not that bright, either. They get about $80 million more.
“When they win the constructors’ championship, which they did this year, they got $80 million more than if McLaren had won it.”
Ferrari’s history in F1 has been central to the success of the sport over many years and Ecclestone said a special deal was set up after the teams threatened to break away and form a rival championship in 2003.
“They were the only team that broke ranks with the other manufacturers,” he was quoted as saying in Saturday’s edition of The Times. “Why did they break ranks? That’s where the $80 million comes in.
“We ‘bought’ Ferrari’s loyalty. Our deal with Ferrari was that we ‘bought’ them so they would not go to the others.”
The row between the boss of F1 and the head of Ferrari comes at a time when the sport’s world governing body is trying to get teams to make big spending cuts.
“What he (di Montezemolo) should do, rather than asking for money, with all the extra money Ferrari gets, he should share all that amongst the teams,” Ecclestone told The Times.
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