F1 experts: 'Bernie's killing the sport'

LONDON, England - Two authoritative Formula 1 correspondents have named Red Bull's F1 team principal Christian Horner as the ideal man to take charge of the sport's future.

Kevin Eason, writing in Britain's The Times newspaper, said F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone "must start to hand over - now".

His call came amid a near-unprecedented round of introspection for the pinnacle of motor racing as audiences decline, small teams falter, and the stakeholders wonder how to recapture the 'heyday' of F1.

Read: Ecclestone unhappy with F1's democracy

Eason said the F1 of today, run by 84-year-old Ecclestone, "is not ready to move into the 21st century with the rest of us - but it has to, sooner rather than later".

He added: "The man he (Ecclestone) should hand over to should be Christian Horner. Take him out of Red Bull and give him the keys. Horner is young, smart, modern and in touch."

Read: Bernie: F1 not interested in young fans

Jonathan McEvoy, a correspondent for another British newspaper, the Daily Mail, also thought 41-year-old Horner was the right man for the job.

McEvoy said: "The sport needs an intelligent, preferably young, energetic, articulate, successful, fair-minded dictator to replace this Horlicks of self-interest. Horner has proved during his stewardship of Red Bull that he has these qualities.

"Anointing Horner may yet be Ecclestone's last great legacy to F1."

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