FOM chief Bernie Ecclestone doesn’t believe that the ban of refuelling is to blame for all the negativity surrounding the season opening Bahrain Grand prix, instead he thinks that the race was not that much different from many we have seen in the past....

"I don't think it was much different to some of the other races we had last year to be quite honest with you," Ecclestone was quoted as saying by the PA. “It wasn't the sort of race that would excite most people I would suppose. But I think we ought to judge these things a little later on. It's a bit early. We ought to wait until we come back from China."

There have been suggestions made by various F1 personnel, including McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh, that mandatory pitstops should be introduced to help add to the excitement and while Ecclestone said that is one option, all teams would have to agree to make it happen.

"There are lots and lots and lots of things that could happen to make the racing closer and better. It's a case of getting all the teams to agree, If everybody agrees (to two mandatory stops) then we could change it (the regulation) immediately."