Ferrari deserve larger slice of the pie

The way Formula One deals with payments to teams has come under scrutiny once again.

Autosport Magazine have published details on how much the 11 teams on the grid this season will receive in regards to their payments from Formula One Management [FOM].

Despite some of the calculation being based on a team’s classification in the 2015 Formula One World Constructors championship and another calculation using their performance over the past three years, Ferrari are the biggest winners.

That is because there is also a Constructors’ championship bonus, which has been thrashed out individually between FOM and Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren.

There is also a heritage bonus, which Ferrari, Williams, Red Bull Racing and Mercedes.

To add to the complicated system there is also an extra annual payment which Mercedes and Red Bull Racing benefit from.

All of this equates to a potential 2016 payout of $192million for Ferrari.

Mercedes will receive around $171million, Red Bull $144million, Williams $87million, McLaren $82million, Force India $67million, Renault $64million, Toro Rosso $57million, Sauber $54million and Manor $47million.

This disparities are glaringly obvious, move past Ferrari earning far more than back-to-back F1 champions Mercedes and look how much Red Bull Racing receive despite finishing behind Williams.

McLaren also do well considering they finished behind Force India, Renault, Toro Rosso and Sauber last season.

This is the point some of the teams have made to the EU Commission, who are pushing for an even split of the money.

An even split of the money would see Williams earn $96.5million rather than $87million for third place and also see a huge increase for the majority of the grid.

Ecclestone insists he wouldn’t be opposed to a change in the way the teams are paid, but continues to argue that Ferrari do deserve to get more than anyone else regardless.

Speaking to Sky Sports Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said: ‘As far as we’ve concerned, this year we will pay the teams collectively close on a billion dollars, So it really wouldn’t make any difference to us who gets that money. No difference at all.

‘If it’s shared equally it’s alright. If it’s shared in a way like Ferrari benefit a bit because they’ve been racing a lot longer than anybody else. And in the end, Ferrari is Formula 1, so they should be.