Chase Carey interview - what he said

24 January 2017 03:23

Chase Carey is Formula One's new ringmaster after long-standing chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was stepped down following Liberty Media's acquisition of the sport.

In an interview with the Press Association on Tuesday, Carey outlined his vision for the future, a potential London Grand Prix and his thoughts on the departing Ecclestone.

ON THE FUTURE.

We want to put an organisation in place which allows us to grow the sport to its potential by making the events bigger, building media platforms, which connect to the sport's fans, and marketing organisations that tell the stories and make the drivers the heroes. We want to create more dynamic partnerships with our sponsors, broadcasters and promoters to figure out ways to do new and exciting things and, to some degree, change the culture.

ON F1's PROBLEMS.

It has been a one-man show. The decision-making recently has been pretty inefficient and ineffective. We hope to find ways to make those decisions in a much more effective and efficient way.

ON TIME FOR CHANGE.

In the three months that I have been here, I have heard that the races are too predictable, that the rules are too complicated and that engineers have overtaken the drivers. It is still a great sport, but it can be much greater. We need to find the solutions, find the answers and make it better than it is.

ON MORE RACES IN AMERICA.

We would like to have a destination race in the US. Austin is great but we would like to have a big event in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Miami.

ON A LONDON GRAND PRIX.

London is a great city, and there is no question (you think of it) when you think where are the cities you want to be in. We have Silverstone in the UK, but I recognise it is not in London. I don't want to get too far into speculation on any particular city at this point, but London is obviously a great city.

ON THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX.

Having a race in the UK is clearly important to us. We look forward to engaging with Silverstone and talking about how we make sure that race can, and is, everything it should be.

ON BERNIE ECCLESTONE.

Running the business is what Bernie has done for most of his adult life. That change, clearly, has difficulties for him and I understand that. We try to handle it in a way with the respect he is due. I value his advice and help as we continue to grow the sport.

ON NICO ROSBERG RETIRING AS CHAMPION.

Would it have been great if he kept racing? Yes, but he did what he wanted to do.

ON LEWIS HAMILTON.

He is not the only superstar, but he is a great star for our sport. We want these stars and drivers with larger-than-life personalities.

ON ROSS BRAWN'S ROLE.

He will be very hands-on. Not that I won't be involved, but he will be the one who leads our strategy and will execute what we are trying to do on the racing side of the business.

Source: PA