McLaren Team Boss Andreas Seidl Terms Covid-19 A Wake-Up Call for Formula 1

McLaren team boss, Andreas Seidl stated the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus crisis is the final wake up call, so the teams and the sport need to be more sustainable.

Formula 1 is facing a tough decision as to when racing can start again later during the year. The sport is considering several options to start the season after the first nine races had been called off due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Seidl claims there is a desire from the public that sporting events start up again; however, there are many aspects that need to be considered before the decision is made.

Stakeholders have already agreed to proceed with the current vehicles through the 2021 season and delay introducing the new regulations so costs will be saved. However, concern remains concerning the future of some of the teams.

McLaren was the first team to furlough the staff as the lead drivers; Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris took pay cuts.

They are also leading calls to reduce the budget cap for 2021, which was set at $175 million to $100 at the least.

Seidl mentioned the crisis being experienced is the final wake up call for the sport, which was unhealthy, to begin with, and has currently reached a point where drastic changes need to be enforced.

Seidl added that following the many meetings which have been conducted between the FIA, Formula 1 body, and the teams, he does not see any signs that Formula 1 is not going to be there next year, but things have to change for racing to be sustainable.

The next team meeting is going to be done on Thursday, where the plans concerning the budget cap are going to be further discussed.

Apparently, 100 million dollars was a good number to run a Formula 1 team, and the sport would still possess the fastest car on earth.

Concerns, though, have been increased following the previous meeting though by a few of the bigger teams over having a lower budget cap. It is said the supply to the teams is still an area that drains a lot of revenue.

A two-tier budget cap system has also been proposed, though Seidl cautioned that he did not believe it was necessary.

FIA president Jean Todt did say that Formula 1 needed to be restructured from a financial perspective considering the pandemic though he hoped the sport would come back better when reforms have been made.