Ecclestone wants more from Alonso

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone will meet Fernando Alonso and ask the world champion to do more to promote his sport, he revealed today.

Ecclestone has criticised Alonso for not going out of his way to bring Formula One to the people, but his comments cut little ice with the Spaniard earlier this week.

Alonso is adamant he should do no more than his Renault team rquires, and Ecclestone feels that attitude is selling the sport short.

Alonso claimed: “I have a team that pays me to do a job. I do my job – there is nothing more in my contract that I have to do.”

Ecclestone is unhappy with that attitude and will ask Alonso to work harder to promote Formula One.

The sport’s commercial rights holder said: “He is the world champion, and world champions really owe something to the public. They are world champions and they should start giving a bit back to the public.

“We will have a chat. It’s our fault as well as his, through not telling him what we want to do.”

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has proved to be an ideal ambassador for Formula One, and his name has become synonymous with the sport.

Ecclestone is a long-time admirer of the German and is keeping his fingers crossed that this season will not be his last.

Schumacher’s Ferrari contract expires at the end of the year, and he has yet to decide whether to continue driving.

But Ecclestone said: “I hope he stays – we don’t want him to leave.”

If Schumacher does stay on beyond this season he could be on the grid for the start of a new Formula One era in 2008, although whether the sport’s rebel manufacturers are there remains in question.

The Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association of Honda, Toyota, Renault, Mercedes and BMW are stalling on a new deal with Ecclestone due to arguments over money and the way Formula One is run.

Ecclestone claimed “silly things” are standing in the way of an agreement, adding: “I don’t think they know anything about time – we have been negotiating with them for six years.

“We are always close. It’s always going to be settled on Friday – we missed this Friday, so it will be next Friday.

“When somebody starts a fight they need to have a reason for it – and they need some sort of a victory.”

Renault are believed to be closer than their GPMA colleagues to agreeing a deal with Ecclestone, who praised their approach to talks.

He said: “They are being more sensible. The arguments that are going on are really a little bit silly.

“What they are trying to do is save the manufacturers a bit of money. What they [Renault] want to do is competition as it is, with technology, but they just don’t want the expense.”