From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has called for a single F1 "referee" to issue football-style red and yellow cards.

After the spate of controversial driver penalties this year, the F1 chief executive believes there is room for an improved system.

"What I want is a referee, who either immediately announces a penalty or, as in football, shows a yellow card. For certain offences you get a red card, for others a yellow.

"Once you have a certain number of yellow cards, you are banned for the next race," said the 77-year-old.

He agrees, however, that the crux of the current problem is that too many penalties are being dished out.

"We must be careful that we don't punish every little thing, otherwise the drivers will lose the confidence to try to fight," Ecclestone told Auto Motor und Sport.

There is a mood of radical change in the paddock at present; the FIA is pushing for slashed costs, and teams are looking for ways to spice up the 'show'.

Ecclestone has his own ideas, including a maximum of 40 hours per week in team wind tunnels.

He was also asked about rumours that teams want to reduce the testing limit from 30,000 to 20,000 kms next year.

"I would be even more radical," he said. "Two things; only one track at which you can test. And we stay at each grand prix track one day longer so they can test on Monday."

Ecclestone also thinks F1 teams have become too big.

"We could reduce the number of paddock passes for the guys who work on the cars," he said, and he also has proposals for a more exciting sport.

"For qualifying it should all be on low fuel, and there should be points," said the Briton.