Pirro hopes post-coronavirus F1 'more viable'
Emanuele Pirro, an Italian former F1 driver, hopes the coronavirus situation leads down the path of a "more viable and accessible Formula 1".
Nine races have already been either cancelled or postponed, and now Silverstone and Paul Ricard look set to follow.
"I see that Wimbledon, a week earlier than Silverstone, has already been cancelled," former driver Christian Danner told RTL.
And organisers of the French F1 GP say "all scenarios", including postponement, are currently being studied.
"I suspect that we will have a start to the season later this year, and I very much hope it will happen not only for the fans but for the survival of the teams," said Danner.
Pirro, who contested 40 grands prix, thinks it might be possible.
"We can do grand prix weekends over two days rather than three and we don't need 1000 people behind the scenes," he told L'Equipe.
But he also thinks F1 should take the opportunity in other ways to improve the sport for the long term.
"We can have a Formula 1 without having to create a new car every year," said Pirro. "I also don't understand why they can no longer sell chassis to other teams, as in the past.
"Right now even the smallest teams have to create a new car that ends up in the rubbish at the end of each season. This situation could encourage us to move towards less dogmatic rules and a more viable and accessible Formula 1," he added.
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Pirro is absolutely right! I really wish F1's rulemakers could allow teams to sell chassis to start-up outfits and encourage other engine manufacturers to get involved by mmaking it a more level playing field. Take the power away from teams, say these are our rules, if you want to compete, play by our rules or go and play somewhere else. I would have no problem, having loved F1 since the 70's if Ferrari decided after competing in every single F1 season to quit and follow another discipline because they didn't like being told what to do by the FIA or Liberty Media (assuming Libery Media stay themselves) Teams have come and gone over the years - some have stayed for decades, some but for a brief period - but F1 carries on, and always will if it doesn't self-destruct with rigid self-interest. No team is greater than the sport, even Ferrari!
Spot on, Carl. My only comment would be to question the value of Liberty to our sport. They are a publicly traded media company, no expertise and very little real interest in racing.