Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone at the paddock prior the 2014 Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Sakhir circuit near Manama, Bahrain. (EPA)

DPA/Berlin

The Formula One season begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday and Bernie Ecclestone - still the dominant figure in the sport - is confident the campaign will run smoothly.
“I haven’t really got any (concerns),” the 84-year-old told dpa in an interview. But despite the huge amounts of money circulating in the sport, funding remains a major worry for some of the smaller teams. Caterham and Marussia failed to complete the race calender last year having been hit with financial difficulties. And only the latter will present themselves, reborn as Manor, in Australia.
“This is all commercial and it’s all been dealt with,” Ecclestone insisted when asked if he believed all teams would complete the 2015 calender. “So there’s nothing for anybody to be concerned about.”
A handful of teams including world champions Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren have little cause for worrying about money. But even Force India, who finished sixth last year, have been vocal in calling for change. That is something Ecclestone refuses to concede is needed. He sees no reason for the bigger teams to dip into their pockets to ensure the smaller outfits can remain on the grid.
“People enter the championship, they know exactly what the terms and conditions are and they enter because that’s what they think - that they can comply with those conditions. So it’s up to them. It’s not up for people to help them.
“We comply to exactly what our agreements are. We pay something in excess of 900 million dollars to the teams to perform. Which is as much as we can do.”
Despite his advanced years, Ecclestone shows no sign of releasing his hold on the sport he has known for so long. But while no one goes on for ever, he does not see a heir to his throne. “I don’t think there’s anything natural about it (a successor). It will happen sooner or later, but there’s nothing natural about who it would be.
“If I’m not doing what I do then maybe two or three other people will do what I do. And they’ll probably do it in a different way. Whether it would be better or worse we’ll have to wait and see.”
Ecclestone did acknowledge that the situation in Germany, where confusion surrounds the Grand Prix scheduled for the Nuerburgring in July, was not ideal. But he said neither he nor anyone else could identify why the country was seemingly falling out of love with F1. “I don’t know why the public in Germany are not and haven’t, even in the last couple or three years, been supporting. Maybe the fact that everyone misses Michael (Schumacher). Maybe that’s the reason.”
The drift has been all the more curious given the strong performance from German driver Sebastian Vettel in winning four consecutive drivers’ titles from 2010-13 and Nico Rosberg pushing Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton all the way to the championship in 2014. Ecclestone is hoping for others to challenge the pair in 2015 but, unsurprisingly, is not worried if this does not happen.
“During the period of Formula One there’s been teams that have dominated. For example Michael won all those championships one after the other ... I think the racing last year was very, very good.
“Obviously if we could have Ferrari and two or three other teams competing with Mercedes it’d be great. But otherwise if the two Mercedes drivers are racing each other that’s fine as well.”
Mercedes are currently negotiating a new contract with Hamilton which could be the last of the Briton’s career. What is a world champion worth?
“As much as someone wants to pay and as much as he’s prepared to accept. These are the deals that people do. “What’s anything worth? You know. I’ve always thought people don’t know the value of anything in the world.”