McLaren chairman Ron Dennis has questioned the health of multiple Formula 1 teams, predicting that "one or two" could fold before the current season is over.
"Certain teams are currently experiencing hardship, and in fact I wouldn't be too surprised if one or two of those teams fail to make it to the end of the season," he told F1 Racing magazine.
It's well-known that Sauber are experiencing financial difficulty, having failed to pay staff on time three months in a row, whilst Force India have continued to post losses – albeit far smaller than previously. Whether Dennis is referring to these two in particular, he wouldn't confirm.
However the Briton insists their problems aren't necessarily down to the sport, but financial mismanagement within the teams.
"The managers of such teams get into such positions because they spend more money than they have," he explained.
"This sport is addictive, and people always think their car's next performance upgrade is miraculously going to make it competitive, so they overspend.
"One of the disciplines you need in Formula 1 is to learn how not to do that. You have to apportion your revenue meticulously."
Discussion about this post