Furious Ecclestone reveals financial deal with Ferrari

Earlier this month, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo declared that he and the FOTA want more transparency about the revenues in Formula One. Now, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has hit back at di Montezemolo and revealed that Ferrari has always had a special deal with F1 as they are receiving millions more than the other teams.

Ecclestone declared to the British newspaper 'The Times': "The only thing he (di Montezemolo) has not mentioned is the extra money Ferrari get above all the other teams and all the extra things Ferrari have had for years - the 'general help' they are considered to have had in Formula One.

"Ferrari get so much more money than everyone else. They know exactly what they get, they are not that stupid, although they are not that bright, either. They get about $80 million more. When they win the constructors' championship, which they did this year, they got $80 million more than if McLaren had won it."

Ecclestone also revealed the reason for this arrangement. This goes back to 2003 when some F1 teams tried to form a breakaway championship, but the only team who stood up to them was Ferrari. "They were the only team that broke ranks with the other manufacturers - why did they break ranks? That's where the $80 million comes in. We 'bought' Ferrari. We 'bought' Ferrari's loyalty. Our deal with Ferrari was that we 'bought' them so they would not go to the others."