Bernie Ecclestone backs Mercedes F1 shakeup

Bernie Ecclestone has backed the changes taking place at Mercedes.

Earlier, beleaguered team boss Ross Brawn played down claims the F1 chief executive may be playing a role in the power struggle, as Austrians Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff reportedly pull their weight against Brackley's old guard including Brawn and Nick Fry.

Asked about the shakeup, Ecclestone - holidaying in Kitzbuhel, Austria - told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper: "I hope it means that Mercedes is much stronger.

"I trust that the new team leaders Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff ... it's new people with new ideas.

"Mercedes has the best engine, strong drivers, enough budget -- I would be disappointed if they are not at the front," the 82-year-old added.

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Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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