F1 teams must still have input into rules, says McLaren's Jonathan Neale

F1’s teams should still have a say in the sport’s rule-making process, according to McLaren Honda’s Jonathan Neale.

Amid widespread debate over how F1 should be in the future, some leading figures from teams have called into question whether the Strategy Group, which comprises the biggest five teams, the FIA, Formula One Management and, for at least 2015, Force India, remains fit for purposes given the body represents so many different interests.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has been the most outspoken on the matter and recently labelled the Strategy Group “fairly inept”, with his view being that the rule-making process should rest with the FIA and FOM. Horner also suggested that an experienced figure currently outside of F1, such as ex-Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn, could be drafted in to help shape regulations.

In response to such suggestions, and ahead of Wednesday's latest Strategy Group meeting, FIA president Jean Todt has challenged teams to back their words with actions.

McLaren Honda are one of the permanent members of the Strategy Group and their chief operating officer Neale has told Sky Sports News HQ that teams have made too much of an investment into F1 not to have their voices heard.

Asked if he thought teams should have a say in the rule-making process, Neale said: “Yes I do. If you look at the teams, it’s costs us money to go racing. Yes, there’s prize money, but it’s a risky business like any investment is.

“Therefore the teams and any investor who’s got a stake in it and is taking that risk has to have a say and a share of what happens. It’s no different to running a board of directors or anything else, you’re the chairman running the board and you have to pull the relevant parties together, show clear leadership and then give the sense of true north and the consistency of purpose.

“Maybe we could improve on that in the way that we run the sport, but the answer is not to take the teams out of it because we are taking the risk as well as enjoying the spoils of it.”

With the F1 spectacle and complex nature of the rulebook having come in for increasing criticism from disgruntled fans this season, McLaren Honda have been the team most heavily stung by the power unit penalties for exceeding the limit for engines and associated elements.

Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button took a combined 50-place grid penalty at the Austrian GP and their respective crash and technical retirement in the race means both drivers face more engine changes at this weekend's British GP, although it remains to be seen whether McLaren Honda will revert to old power units and therefore escape any further grid demotions. 

Alonso's fifth engine of the season was damaged in his nasty crash with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Neale says wider talks are ongoing about whether drivers should be further punished if they are forced to change units in such circumstances.

“There are discussions going on with the FIA and within the sport at the moment as to whether when a driver, like Fernando, who had a serious crash with Kimi in the last race, the engine and gearbox were really badly damaged... is that fair at that point that a penalty is incurred for having to change an engine as a result of something like that?" he asked.

“We’ll have a view – guess what ours is – and the sport will have a view. But we’ll abide by the rules and get on with it.”

Don’t miss Sky Sports F1’s live coverage of the 2015 British GP. The race begins at 1pm on Sunday, with build-up underway from 11.30am. No Sky Sports? No problem! Watch the British GP for £6.99 with NOW TV