Bob Fernley questions the legality of F1's new rule-making Strategy Group

Bob Fernley (m) with Eric Boullier (l) and Gerard Lopez (r)

Force India’ Bob Fernley has raised his concerns about Formula One’s new rule-making Strategy Group and termed the body as a group lacking ethical governance.

The Strategy group, which replaced the sporting and technical working groups, consists of only the powerful and top teams in the sport at the moment with the lights of Ferrari, Mercedes, Lotus, McLaren and Red Bull while Williams is also included for historical significance of the team. The undemocratic nature of the group has been criticized throughout the F1 community and Fernley is the latest to question its existence.

“All teams basically pay the same amount to go racing. The only differentials are in drivers’ salaries and hospitality. And yet some teams have no say in how the sport is run. It could certainly be deemed abuse of a dominant position. Some of the teams have grave reservations about the legality of it,” he told Telegraph Sport.

“There is genuine concern among some of the teams on the Strategy Group, particularly the ones who are public companies. This is not ethical governance,” he added.