Bernie Ecclestone has admitted that he hopes Jenson Button does not clinch the world championship at this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix. Instead the Formula One Supremo hopes that both Rubens Barrichello and Sebastian Vettel can do enough around the Interlagos circuit to take the title down to the wire at the band new state-of-the-art Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi.
“Button will be a good champion,” said Ecclestone in an interview with French Le Parisien newspaper. “Having said that, I’d like him to do me a big favour and wait for the last race of the year, in Abu Dhabi, to win it. It’s always more fun when the title is decided at the final round.”
Ecclestone also used the interview to issue a warning to the organisers of the French Grand Prix, after revealing that a contract to bring the race back onto the F1 calendar had yet to be signed.
“That’s all I want, but it seems to be hard to put things in place in France,” he continued.
“I’ve sent a contract to them and it hasn’t been sent back. At the moment, I’m being told that we shouldn’t hope for a circuit in or around Paris before 2013. I’ve also heard about possibly returning to Paul Ricard.
“It’s a shame, because it’s going to get harder to find a spot on the calendar. They need to act quickly because time is short.”
The French Grand Prix has not been seen on the Formula One circus since it last raced around the Magny Cours circuit last year.
Furthermore, the CEO of Formula One Management moved to quell fears that Renault may leave Formula One at the end of the current season after the fallout from the Singapore race-fix scandal.
“I’m meeting the team’s president this weekend.” Ecclestone said, “I don’t understand all these rumours about the team leaving. They’re completely unfounded.”
The former Brabham team-owner also reiterated his displeasure at the lifetime ban handed to Flavio Briatore in light of the events in Singapore.
“I am one of the people who think that a lifetime ban is an unrealistic punishment,” he said. “It wasn’t necessary. These days, you don’t even get life for murder.”
Finally Ecclestone also hopes that a team will give the reigning World Rally Champion, Sebastien Loeb, a berth in Formula One after the Frenchmen recently took part in a GP2 test.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think it will happen,” explained Ecclestone. “However, I’d love for somebody to give him a chance. It would only be good for F1 if he came.”
