Customer cars aren't the solution everyone thinks they are but it's what the people think they want to justify reverse logic surrounding lower costs, so it must happen. It's the dark side of democracy where people demand things that aren't good for them yet here we stand.

Customer cars/B teams/ 3 car teams/ technical partnerships whatever solve the solution to a problem, not the problem itself. The problem is cost and lack of competition. Creating a cheaper alternative doesn't solve the problem is just means we leave Ferrari/Mercedes to duke it out for £400m a year and the rest have their own championship. What needs to happen is the amount paid to teams needs to be uniform and across the board. 1st earns exactly the same as last. Sponsorship can sort the rest, that can be the prize for finishing first. That way, teams that spend more than they make are free to do so but they have no obligation to do it to be competitive. It's what you do with the money that matters not simply having it in the first place. Yet Bernie thinks that's communism and that word is taboo in modern society so everybody nods and agrees. When did communism become a synonym for fair? In a 100m race, everyone starts at the same line and the only determinant of victory is who makes the most of the 100m between the start and finish. The same applies to money. You give everybody £80m then the only determinant of who wins is who makes the most of that money.

It may end up with Haas developing their own car and all will be well with people citing Toro Rosso but it may not. Toro Rosso and Red Bull still have a questionable relationship at best and if anyone genuinely believes that STR will be allowed to outperform RBR regularly then you need to take at look at yourself. Same will be with Haas and is the case with Sauber, Williams, Lotus...you name it. Technical customers will never, long term outperform their suppliers. It just won't happen. If they end up getting their own agreements with other suppliers then that's all well and good but as long as Ferrari or Mercedes or Renault supply more than 1 team, there will always be an elder sibling that will get the wheat and a younger sibling that gets the chaff. Why did McLaren switch to Honda? Because to win, you have to change the game. Using Mercedes was never going to get them anywhere as long as Mercedes had a works team.

It's high time people stopped telling themselves that any competition is a good thing, regardless of where it is. The prize is first place and as long as that remains uncompetitive between teams, no other position should matter. Sort the top out and the rest will follow but it won't happen as long as 'fans' chirp about "improving the show" which is the lowest common denominator. We all need to demand a higher level of competition and ability not sparks or speed or noise. It's all fixing the solution to the problem and detracting from the real issues, not the problem itself which is a lack of fundamental competition at the very top and wild money spending and has trickled down to the very bottom.