Ross Brawn slams F1’s lack of plans

F1 Update: Ross Brawn says one of his frustrations with Formula One is that the sport is too reactive and does not have any long term plans. 

Brawn – who masterminded title wins with Benetton, Ferrari and his own BrawnGP outfit – was linked to a new role in F1 last year, with rumours he could succeed Bernie Ecclestone as F1 chief. Although those reports were later denied, with Brawn insisting he is simply ‘doing a little consultancy’ for the Liberty Group, F1’s new owners, he has long been pursued for a new role within F1 since leaving Mercedes in the wake of a managerial dispute with Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda.

“F1 needs to have a plan and I think one of the frustrations for me, is that there never seemed to be a plan. Everything was reactive,” Brawn said during a recent interview with Jennie Gow for ESPN. “I think it would be good for Formula 1 to try and formulate a strategy and a plan of where it wants to be in three or five years.

“This engine that exists now is incredible [for example], but it is quite expensive and makes it difficult for the smaller teams. So, can we achieve as equally an impressive technical challenge, but make it more viable for the smaller teams? It is those sorts of things, which I think if you set those objectives now, you won’t do it next year, but in three or maybe five years time you will succeed.”

Asked why Formula One doesn’t have a plan at the moment, Brawn added: “I think Bernie care about the sport and obviously has the commercial requirements in mind as well. He wants to maximise the returns for the teams and for the shareholder. But it is not his style. My style might be too far the other way, maybe I am too structured, too pedantic and too pragmatic as an engineer, and maybe my approach is not correct.”

Meanwhile, Brawn revealed that while has spoken to Ecclestone in the past about his views, he hasn’t chatted to him now for some time.

“I haven’t spoken to him since I left the sport, but I told him plenty of times when I was there. We had an understanding and I think I probably rankled him on occasions because I stuck to my views and not everyone did. I think there were times when I irritated him,” Brawn concluded.

Category: Formula One