Bernie Ecclestone defends Ferrari: “I don’t believe they cheated”

Verstappen’s comments came after the United States Grand Prix which saw Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc drop down places early on and seemed to lack the pace that they had at previous races.
 
Since the summer break the Scuderia had pretty much dominated in qualifying and their race pace was getting stronger too, before a clarification from the FIA before the race in Austin on fuel flow prompted the Dutchman’s accusations.
 
But Ecclestone says that the Ferrari situation is nothing new in F1 with losing teams accusing the winning team.
 
“I don’t believe Ferrari cheated,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“It’s always the same in Formula 1. If a team is faster than the others, then the ones who are losing suspect the winning team of cheating.

“It’s always been like that.”

The former F1 supremo added that teams always find different advantages by interpreting the rules and regulations in different ways to others, but that Charlie Whiting, who passed away in March, was always on top of it.

“Teams used to do that but then Charlie was on top of it,” he added.

“He was always very good at anticipating things like that.”