Mosley calls for innovation and criticises Ferrari

Paris, Dec 11: Formula One is being stifled by a lack of innovation and needs a radical overhaul to withstand the global credit crunch, motor racing head Max Mosley said.

"We need dramatically to cut costs and get innovation back into Formula One," the head of the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) told a motor sport business forum in Monaco.

"We must stabilize the system with a base engine which anyone can have and which is inexpensive, as well as a standard gearbox. That will stabilize Formula One until we can bring in new energy-efficient engines which undoubtedly will be the future."

Mosley has also been a strong supporter of the KERS system, due to be introduced next season, which captures energy generated under braking and transforms it into short bursts of additional power.

Some teams have called for the system to be delayed, while others have said they will start the season without it.

Mosley said the response from manufacturers was widely divergent.

"One manufacturer has produced electric systems which will astonish people when they appear, another team is working on a completely new technology which will also astonish people," he said.

"But some leading teams, such as Ferrari, have said that they don't like KERS because it is 'too complicated'.

"Could you imagine the great F1 engineers like (Lotus founder Colin) Chapman or (Cosworth DFV engine designer Keith) Duckworth saying 'I can't do that because it is too complicated'?.

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