From: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73762

In amongst some more head-strong stubborn ranting from Bernie, I was stunned to come across this little gem:

"I want to see pre-qualifying again. I want 26 people on the grid, of which 16 are competitive."
Since I haven't been doing any hard hallucenogenic drugs of late, you will understand my shock at reading a Bernie Ecclestone quote which I.... well.... agree with.

But this begs the question, if, like me and probably most motorsport purists, he wants to see big entry lists with pre-qualifying and 26 car grids, what was his reasoning behind degenerating F1 into a "franchise" system in the mid-90s, with a 12 team limit forcing any prospective entrants to buy their way in, American football/MK Dons style?

I appreciate in practice this limit has never actually being reached, the closest being in 2002 when Toyota joined only for Prost to go bust and send it back to 11, so the limit has never been enforced, but surely its very presence is sending out the wrong message - i.e. that the teams are merely commodoties or franchises with "value" to be bought and sold, rather than mere competitors in a series of motor races?

Does this mean that the 12 team limit is being consigned to the rubbish bin where it belongs? Or, as per the thread title, is Bernie really starting to crack up with this contradiction of himself? I'm guessing the latter.