Ecclestone rules out ’electric in the pitlane’ in 2014

Bernie Ecclestone is certain F1 cars will not be powered by electricity in the pitlanes of 2014.

Actually, the electric-only idea is already enshrined in the incoming new turbo V6 rules.

F1’s chief executive admitted in India at the weekend that he has given up on trying to stop the V6s from being introduced in 2014.

"We’re used to these (V8) engines," he said. "Maybe we’ll get used to the new ones (too)."

But another part of the FIA’s ’green’ 2014 rules is that the cars also need to be powered by electricity alone whilst driving in the pitlane.

Ecclestone told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt: "The electric in the pitlane will not happen."

As for the V6 engines, the 82-year-old admitted that even the staunchest supporters of the current V8 rules - like Ferrari’s Luca di Montezemolo - concede that the new rules are definitely coming in.

"Di Montezemolo is not happy," said the Briton, "but they say we have spent all this money."

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing Gerhard Gribkowsky bribery scandal, Ecclestone played down reports that F1’s owner CVC has commissioned a headhunting agency to find his successor.

"No, no," he told India’s Telegraph. "For the purposes of our IPO, potential investors need to know ’what if’ ... it’s normal (practice), I’ve been told."

Ecclestone celebrated his 82nd birthday in India on Sunday, and was presented a cake by many of the sport’s well-known faces.

Triple world champion Niki Lauda told Blick newspaper: "In my life I’ve met two people whose charisma and personality really influenced me.

"They are Enzo Ferrari and Bernie Ecclestone," he said.

Ecclestone’s latest project is to convince the teams to accept a US $200-250 annual spending cap.

"Whoever cheats for the first time will go three races without championship points," he proposed.