Winning won't drive Red Bull out of F1 - Ecclestone

Dec.27 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is not worried Red Bull's run of dominance will drive the brand out of formula one.

The energy drink company's premier F1 team and its lead driver Sebastian Vettel have won the past four drivers' and constructors' championships -- so dominantly in 2013 that many questioned the spectacle of the latest triumph.

But when asked if Red Bull is so successful it may eventually tire both of winning and the sport in general, F1 chief executive Ecclestone answered: "I don't think so.

"Dietrich Mateschitz is so competitive, he loves racing, he likes when his car wins," the 83-year-old told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The successes of recent years also mean his team has earned much more than some of the others.

"Not only that, where else is he going to find as good a platform to advertise his brand?" Ecclestone wondered.

Red Bull is among the teams with the very highest budgets in F1; so high that many others are struggling to pay their bills in a difficult economic climate.

Ecclestone has little sympathy.

"The teams are spending too much," he said. "Look at the top teams; they have a huge number of staff, 700 or more, no one knows the exact numbers.

"All these people to put two cars on the grid on Sundays. It's ridiculous," Ecclestone added.

At the same time, teams are struggling to attract big brands to their sponsorship liveries, while F1 has managed to do deals with companies like UBS and Rolex.

Asked why the teams are failing to do the same, Ecclestone answered: "I don't know -- ask them."

Meanwhile, when asked to tip the 2014 winner, he responded similarly: "I don't know. I think next year will depend most on the engine.

"The winner will be the one with the best engine."