Formula One news

Mallya not fearing Mercedes future

Vijay Mallya has cast aside fears of Mercedes making a break from Formula One amid the 'liegate' scandal and with a proposal budget cap headed in the sport's direction. The Force India owner, whose team is powered by Mercedes engines, is confident of retaining his five-year deal with the German manufacturer.

"We have a five-year contract with Mercedes Benz High Performance Engines, and I see no reason why the final date should not be met," Indian Mallya said to Germany's Motorsport Magazin. "I know not the internal arrangements (between Mercedes and works team McLaren), but I have no doubt that Mercedes will fulfil the contract."

As the FIA deals with McLaren's 'liegate' scandal in Paris today, the governing body is also planning to look at the spending limit for next season with a view to setting it in stone. The current discussed budget is £30 million although Mallya, like most team owners, believes a higher figure would be more suitable to begin with. "I think 40-50 million for an acceptable budget, excluding the drivers and marketing," he continued. "That should be an amount a competitive F1 team can operate with."

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