Carey criticises Ecclestone's 'short-term' approach

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New Formula 1 boss Chase Carey has criticised how his predecessor Bernie Ecclestone ran the sport, accusing it of a "short-term, deal of the day focus."

Carey was speaking at the FIA sport conference being held this week in Geneva. He blamed Ecclestone's tenure for many of the sport's problems that new owners Liberty Group have inherited.

“This sport has been underserved by a perpetual, short-term, deal of the day focus," he said. "One that has lacked a strategy, vision and longer-term plan, and a willingness to invest."

While Ecclestone had been in charge, the sport had previously been owned by private equity fund CVC. Carey acknowledged that Ecclestone had done the best he could under the sport was sold to them in 2006.

“The sport didn’t have an organisation before,” he complained. “Bernie, to his credit, was a one-man show with financial and legal support.

"One of the things we have done is put an organisation in place that can support the sport. We will have the key people in by August."

Carey has already brought in former Formula 1 team boss Ross Brawn as sporting director, and Sean Bratches as commercial director.

“Priority one for us is still to make the sport and the competition on the track as exciting and engaging as it possibly can be,” Carey continued.

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“Just the nature of what we do on the track – whether it’s rules, engines, costs – take time," he added.

"We’ve had meetings on what is the next generation engine, "he said. "That engine isn’t going to get implemented in three months but it doesn’t mean we haven’t had multiple meetings.”

Also attending the conference this week was FIA president Jean Todt, who said he was enjoying a good working relationship with Carey.

“We have had no conflict," said Todt of Carey and Liberty Media. "They arrived humble, willing to learn, understand, participate and to work closely with the governing body. Which is important.”

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.