.:: The FOTA/FIA 2010 War - Todt new FIA President ::.

The talks of a budget cap producing a two-tier season next year are heating up, and many teams are contemplating not lodging their entries for the May 29th deadline.

F1PU has been covering this developing story, and now all the stories can be found in one thread. The following links all go to the stories so far, and any new stories can be found here from now on.

£40 million budget cap for 2010, 13 teams to apply

FOTA calls for talks over budget cap

Williams against two-tier series, Mallya cautious on FIA's new rules, McLaren reluctant about two-tier series, Ferrari warns budget cap may hurt F1, Mosley: F1 can survive without Ferrari, Ecclestone says he will protect Ferrari, Thiessen in warning over two-tier F1

Teams hope cuts don't reduce challenge

Raikkonen ponders F1 future

Richards ponders a return to F1

Toyota warns it may not lodge its 2010 entry

CONFIRMED ENTRY SUBMISSIONS FOR 2010

RED BULL, TORO ROSSO WILL NOT ENTER TWO-TIER F1

Red Bull's two Formula 1 teams will not be entered in next year's world championship, their owner Dietrich Mateschitz has confirmed, unless changes are made to budget cap rules introduced by the FIA.

With AUTOSPORT having revealed at the weekend that Toyota will not lodge its entry unless plans for a two-tier F1 are dropped, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso are also set to join a boycott led by manufacturer teams.

Mateschitz visited the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday, amid high political tension between the teams and FIA about cost-cutting rules that have been introduced for next season.

And he made it clear that Red Bull would join a host of manufacturer teams in withholding their entries for 2010 for now.

"If the proposed rules for 2010 remain unchanged, we will not enter next year's championship," said Mateschitz as part of an interview that appeared in the Austrian Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper on Monday.

"And I guess that won't do the works teams either. So possibly only two or maybe three of the existing teams will enter the championship.

"The conditions for 2010 at the moment make it impossible to sign in. But I hope there will be a meeting and a settlement before the entry deadline."

AUTOSPORT understands that unless a deal can be hammered out between FIA president Max Mosley and the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) when they meet before the Monaco Grand Prix, then the five manufacturer-backed tams plus the two Red Bull outfits will not lodge their entries.

Williams, Brawn GP and Force India are therefore likely to be the only teams to enter the championship. They will do so not because they do not support the opposition to a two-tier formula, but because their core business is racing in F1 - so to not be racing in 2010 would risk their company's futures.

Efforts have been made by Bernie Ecclestone in the last 48 hours to get the situation moving, with talk that the teams would like a set of technical regulations that allows any outfit to be competitive for 60 million Euros per year - with little to gain from spending more than that.

As well as the budget cap, there are concerns from teams about the FIA's governance of future rules.

In particular, sources suggest there is unease about the manner by which the FIA introduced the 2010 budget cap at an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, plus a new proposal that means teams have no guarantee of stopping rule changes proposed by the FIA alone.

A new Article 8 of Appendix 5 of the 2010 Sporting Regulations states: "The TWG and the SWG will be consulted on any proposal for change to the Technical Regulations or Sporting Regulations which did not originate in either Group and their comments, if any, will be made available to the World Motor Sport Council when such proposal is discussed."

Ferrari, which has had some form of technical 'veto' on rule changes is particularly unhappy about this situation. Sources suggest that an official statement from Ferrari is expected at some point this week to clarify its position in the controversy.

When asked for Ferrari's position on the matter by AUTOSPORT, team principal Stefano Domenicali said: "This weekend, I had other problems that took place. For sure as you know we are trying to find a solution because this situation with the actual regulations is something that we do not think is the right way to go. We want to find a solution."

SOURCE: Autosport

SUPER AGURI DENIES F1 RETURN RUMOURS

Super Aguri's former co-owner Fumio Akita has rubbished reports of a possible return to Formula 1 following the introduction of a budget cap.

Following the FIA's announcement that a £40 million budget cap will be introduced in the 2010 season, reports in the Japanese media speculated about a possible return by Super Aguri.

Akita said on Monday, however, there was no way the team could return to the sport, even with the budget cap.

"There's absolutely no chance," Akita told Reuters. "Even without the world financial crisis and its effect on Japan's economy we couldn't afford it."

"We already pulled out once because we did not have the resources to continue. Even if we had $60 million to spend we would have to start from scratch again.

"We don't know where these newspaper reports came from but Aguri has also said there's no chance (of a return)."

Super Aguri folded a year ago due to financial difficulties.

SOURCE: Autosport

FERRARI DISCUSS F1 FUTURE

Ferrari's board of directors will discuss the Italian squad's future in Formula 1 tomorrow, the team announced on Monday.

Amid growing tension between the teams and the FIA over the introduction of a budget cap for 2010, Ferrari said in a statement on Monday its board will analyse the current situation and its future involvement in F1.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and FIA president Max Mosley have been at loggerheads over the introduction of the budget cap, which the Italian reckons could damage the sport.

Mosley said earlier this month that Formula 1 could survive without Ferrari, the only team who has competed in every championship since 1950.

AUTOSPORT

FIA TRUSTS CAP DEAL CAN BE REACHED

The FIA is optimistic that a deal can be agreed with teams to move forward with plans for a budget cap in Formula 1 next year, but has warned that it will not compromise simply because of the 'hysteria' caused by threats to quit the sport.

Ahead of a meeting between representatives of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) and Max Mosley in the next few days, the FIA's technical advisor Tony Purnell has made it clear that the FIA is not in the mood to back down over its £40 million rules.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT in an exclusive interview, Purnell said he was confident that talks he held with teams in Barcelona last weekend, plus moves by Bernie Ecclestone, were pointing towards a solution to the situation being found.

"I'm optimistic," explained Purnell. "Whenever change has been required the teams have cried Armageddon: Parc Ferme, engine freeze, V10s to V8, KERS... On each occasion there were those who claimed that F1 would fall apart. These experiences tend to make the FIA more resilient to all the hysteria. People don't like change."

Toyota and Red Bull chief Dietrich Mateschitz said at the Spanish Grand Prix that they would not lodge entries to the 2010 world championship unless rules were changed - and hinted other teams would follow their lead.

Although there have been suggestions that teams could be appeased by raising the current £40 million level for the budget cap, Purnell has said that the FIA is reluctant to do so.

He claims that moving the figure much higher will hinder the chances of new teams coming into F1 next year - something which the FIA has targeted as being vital for the future health of the sport.

"The thing is a tremendous balancing act," he said. "We want to attract new teams and my feeling is that if we pushed it much more, the number of new teams, which has already thinned going from £30 million to £40 million, would just disappear. So, the objective of attracting new teams, we cannot lose sight of it.

"On the other hand, there are the manufacturers needing to make big cuts. Well, the FIA is the regulator and we have to see the bigger picture. Ask anyone to study the ownership of F1 teams at the moment, and the main automotive companies, and they are facing a deep crisis.

"And amid that economic environment, if you are right at the top of the company, you think we have got to change the spend and cost profile. What is the most high profile spend? F1.

"It is a time for difficult decisions to be taken. Sitting dazzled in the headlights won't work. So, for the big teams, they face a massive challenge and whatever you do is a risk. But doing nothing is an unacceptable risk."

AUTOSPORT understands, however, that the teams may be willing to accept the £40 million limit if some concerns about the policing of the budget caps are alleviated.

Sources suggest that some outfits do not want outside accountants looking at their books. One possible way to solve this problem, which Ecclestone has already proposed, is for the task of checking teams' expenditure will be carried out not by the FIA but by the team's own auditors - or totally independent accountants.

Should all the current teams sign up for the budget cap, then that will remove the possibility of a two-tier formula - something which the manufacturers have deemed unacceptable.

Speaking about the possibility of a two-tier F1, Purnell said: "It is all about transition. I think there are certainly many members of the media and many people in the paddock who say, where you want to get to is really admirable. But how do you get from A to B?

"The option route is a means to do it. In the medium and long term we expect things to converge. In the meantime, certainly if all the FOTA teams think that two tiers is wrong, then we absolutely invite them to go one way - problem solved."

He added: "We think what we are trying to do is the right way and the FIA can't dilute its goals. Either we do this and we show courage and resolve, or we allow ourselves to get compromised until things get diluted.

"It's about how we make the transition as acceptable as it can be for everyone. We've created a choice."

SOURCE: Autosport

As expected, Ferrari have announced that they will not enter the 2010 world championship, that is unless the two-tier system is scrapped. So the number of entries to 2010 is falling, and F1 has once again become a farce; the joke of the motorsport world. These rules need scrapping, and fast. Forget the new entrants, if we can't keep the current teams in it at least, there's little point watching next year.

Source: Autosport

Hmmm, this will put FIA in a real pickle, Will they either do:

A. Go ahead with their plans, lose their prize possesion of Ferrari, and just carry on trucking not giving a damn who they lose because they feel they are making F1 better

Or

B. Scrap the plans, and keep to the current rules for 2010.

Its gonna be fun to watch over the next few weeks I can surely tell you.

^^ Along with Ferrari Red Bull and Toyota have also threatned not to enter 2010

Max should just call it quits and scrap this budget cap. They should discuss with all teams about a max budget and put it in place when everyone agrees, not a budget cap the FIA wants 

I think the problem is that the FIA and Max need to take some time to get the budget cap right for everyone but i am starting to think that maybe Max and the FIA have got it into there heads that time is running out, ill come back to that point later.

What I think the FIA should do is to take the current set of teams and give them a budget cap of say £100 million and over the course of lets say 5 years bring it down to a level that the FIA want and that new teams coming into the sport feel happy with. This may mean it is a number of years before we see grid sizes increase but it will mean that most of the current teams will still be involved and will be able to make the necessary cut backs at a rate they feel comfortable with and should mean the budget cap won't have to massive impact on the quality of the racing.

This would also mean any new team would have a far better idea of the business model they would need to operate and so should find joining the sport a lot easier as they won't be the first ones to run under a budget cap.

It also means that areas such as the enforcement of the budget cap and any technical changes can be properly tested so that the sport will avoid facing any problems all at once which would probably happen if next years plans go ahead and there would be no two-tier f1 in place.

Unfortunately this won't happen because of the reason I alluded to above which is time, or rather the lack of it. I believe there are 2 reasons why the FIA think there are against the clock when it comes to the budget cap. Firstly Max Mosley has always dreamed of a budget cap for F1 and so if he does not run for president again this year then he wants a budget cap in place before he goes or else it will never get done.

Secondly the recession won't last for ever and as soon as the economy starts to pick up again then teams aren't going to be interested in a budget cap, or at the very least a lenient one, so the FIA have to act now before it is 2 late and the opportunity to impose a cap has gone along with the possibilities of new teams.

Woo with that amount of analysis and reading between the lines maybe I should start my own column, what do you think?

Woo with that amount of analysis and reading between the lines maybe I should start my own column, what do you think?Racky_rules

Haha :lol: you tryin' to steal my job? ;) :lol:

[QUOTE="Racky_rules"]Woo with that amount of analysis and reading between the lines maybe I should start my own column, what do you think?Redders1989

Haha :lol: you tryin' to steal my job? ;) :lol:

no i wouldn't dream of doing that, i was just thinking out loud although racky's rant does have a certain ring to it. Anyway i've should finish off my other responsibilities such as the bat racer game and the simulated season, speaking of which i should be able to do another game by the end of the week i just need to get a clear 2 hour window for it.

[QUOTE="Redders1989"]

[QUOTE="Racky_rules"]Woo with that amount of analysis and reading between the lines maybe I should start my own column, what do you think?Racky_rules

Haha :lol: you tryin' to steal my job? ;) :lol:

no i wouldn't dream of doing that, i was just thinking out loud although racky's rant does have a certain ring to it. Anyway i've should finish off my other responsibilities such as the bat racer game and the simulated season, speaking of which i should be able to do another game by the end of the week i just need to get a clear 2 hour window for it.

Heh, my "column" is actually my blog on here so barely anyone gets to see it anyways :P

And cool stuff, need to get another place on the HoF I do ;)

hey hey hey, Don't get to ahead of yourself, there is still a fair bit to go in that Sim season. So don't get cocky Mister!!kipi19

Hey, I'm "your faithful" leader, I can do what I want! ;)

And get back with your work boy, otherwise you'll never get it done!

great to know after half an hour of work to produce some top class journalism people are more interested in my subsequent comment about the simulated season. Also could we at least try to stay on topic as depending on how this crisis pans out could effect f1 for the next couple of decades. Also if you're not careful redders you may find fisichella mysteriously picks up a couple of grid penalties between now and the end of the seasonRacky_rules

:shock: That's not fair! :lol:

But indeed, it seems a critical point in F1. The problem stands that both FOTA and FIA need to agree on a package in the middle, but alas, each group wants all the glory, and so we're stuck with this battle which won't shift until one or the other gives in...

FERRARI RELEASE STATEMENT FOLLOWING BOARD MEETING

After a meeting of its board of directors in Italy on Tuesday, Ferrari released the following statement:

"Maranello 12 May 2009 - Ferrari's Board of Directors, chaired by Luca di Montezemolo, today analysed the first quarter results for 2009. Despite the current international economic climate, which has hit the automotive sector in particular, Ferrari's figures were in line with the record levels reached in 2008. Turnover for the first three months was 441 million euro compared to 455.7 million euro over the same period in 2008. The first quarter closed with a trading profit of 54 million euro compared to last year's 59 million euro.

"These results reflect the introduction of new models, in particular the success of the Ferrari California and the Scuderia Spider 16M, the constant growth in activities linked to the brand (e-commerce, licensing, merchandising and retail) and the company's continuing efforts to maximise efficiency.

"The Board of Directors also examined developments related to recent decisions taken by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile during an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on 29 April 2009. Although this meeting was originally called only to examine a disciplinary matter, the decisions taken mean that, for the first time ever in Formula One, the 2010 season will see the introduction of two different sets of regulations based on arbitrary technical rules and economic parameters.

"The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula One in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari's uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years - the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 - would come to a close.

"The Board also expressed its disappointment about the methods adopted by the FIA in taking decisions of such a serious nature and its refusal to effectively reach an understanding with constructors and teams. The rules of governance that have contributed to the development of Formula One over the last 25 years have been disregarded, as have the binding contractual obligations between Ferrari and the FIA itself regarding the stability of the regulations. The same rules for all teams, stability of regulations, the continuity of the FOTA's endeavours to methodically and progressively reduce costs, and governance of Formula One are the priorities for the future. If these indispensable principles are not respected and if the regulations adopted for 2010 will not change, then Ferrari does not intend to enter its cars in the next Formula One World Championship.

"Ferrari trusts that its many fans worldwide will understand that this difficult decision is coherent with the Scuderia's approach to motor sport and to Formula One in particular, always seeking to promote its sporting and technical values. The Chairman of the Board of Directors was mandated to evaluate the most suitable ways and methods to protect the company's interests."

OFFICIAL F1 WEBSITE 

RENAULT ALSO RECONSIDERING 2010 ENTRY

The Renault Formula 1 team has joined Ferrari in threatening not to enter the 2010 championship over the introduction of budget cap rules.

Just a day after the historic Italian marque said it will not enter F1 in the regulations remain unchanged, French manufacturer Renault has issued a statement saying it is "reconsidering its entry" in next year's championship.

Renault made it clear also that it was unhappy about the way the budget cap rules have been introduced by the FIA without consulting the teams, saying any such changes should be carried out in a progressive manner.

"There is frustration that FOTA's constructive proposals, including major cost saving measures to be adopted progressively between 2009 and 2012, which were carefully constructed by FOTA members, have been completely ignored without any form of consultation by the FIA with the teams," said Renault in a statement.

"It should be stressed that FOTA has set the same, if not lower, financial objective as the FIA, but Renault strongly believes that this must be introduced through a different procedure agreed by all parties.

"The decision of the Federation International de l'Automobile (FIA) to introduce two sets of Formula One technical regulations for the 2010 Formula One season has caused the Renault Group to reconsider its entry in next year's FIA Formula One World Championship.

"Renault also believes that it is paramount that the governance of the sport is coordinated with a spirit of consultation with all parties (FIA, FOM, FOTA) in order to achieve a better balance between the costs and the revenues. Renault is also of the firm view that all entrants in the World Championship must adhere to and operate under the same regulations."

Renault is the third Formula 1 manufacturer to officially threaten to leave the sport over the changes following Toyota and Ferrari.

Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz also said his teams will not participate next year if there were two sets of rules.

Renault's team principal Flavio Briatore said his team refused to accept the FIA's "unilateral governance" of the sport.

"Our aim is to reduce costs while maintaining the high standards that make Formula One one of the most prestigious brands on the market," he said. "We want to achieve this in a coordinated manner with the regulatory and commercial bodies, and we refuse to accept unilateral governance handed out by the FIA.

"If the decisions announced by the World Council on the 29th of April 2009 are not revised, we have no choice but to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship at the end of 2009."

Renault team president Bernard Rey added: "Renault has always considered Formula 1 as the pinnacle of motor sport and the perfect stage to demonstrate technical excellence.

"We remain committed to the sport, however we cannot be involved in a championship operating with different sets of rules, and if such rules are put into effect, we will be forced to pull out at the end of this season."

SOURCE: Autosport

Yes, one would think that 4 teams threatening to quit would be sufficient to stop the budget cap, but I still wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't get resolved until May 29, as Max is stubborn.wombat26

Technically 5, because Toro Rosso are also included. Still waiting for BMW and McLaren to follow suit. Something needs to be done, quick.

FERRARI VOWS TO TAKE "PASSION" ELSEWHERE

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo is convinced the Italian marque can find the same level passion in other racing series if it leaves Formula 1.

The Maranello-based squad, the most emblematic team in the sport, said on Tuesday it will pull out of Formula 1 if the budget cap regulations introduced by the FIA for 2010 stay in place.

The threat was followed today by one by Renault, who also said it will reconsider its position.

Ferrari said on Thursday it had received "numerous" messages of support from its fans, to which di Montezemolo responded on the car maker's official website.

The Italian said if Ferrari quit F1, it would continue to race elsewhere with the same level of enthusiasm.

"I want to thank you personally for the numerous messages of support we received from all over the world over the last hours on our website and via email," di Montezemolo wrote.

"It is important to know that we can count on the support of our fans all over the world and that our fans completely share the motivations, which brought us to take such a decision.

"If we were forced to leave the Championship we were part of over the last 60 years of our history and where we set all the records in terms of victories, it is because they want to change the nature of its founding values.

"If it really was like that, then I have to say that our cars will race in other competitions, where - and I am absolutely convinced about that - they will find the enthusiasm and the passion of millions of fans, following us in every corner of the world. Racing is part of Ferrari's DNA and this is something that will never change."

Ferrari driver Felipe Massa said the idea of having a two-tier championship was "absurd".

"I understand the motivation, why the company got to this point," said Massa. "The idea of having a championship with two velocities, with cars, which for example are allowed to have flexible wings or an engine without a rev limiter, is absurd.

"We've already seen this year that the rules' uncertainty not only led to a lot of confusion for us involved, but mainly for the fans. Imagine what might happen with what has been set up for 2010.

"For a driver racing a Ferrari in Formula 1 is a dream and I made mine come true. Since I was a child Ferrari has been the synonym for racing for me; that's why I'm convinced that even if the Scuderia is forced to leave Formula 1, there will be other competitions, where it will be possible to admire the Reds on the track."

Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen added: "It's difficult to think of a Formula 1 without Ferrari. When I drove for McLaren the Scuderia from Maranello was the benchmark, the competitor you had to be compared with. Since I arrived here I understood that it is much more than just a team, it's a legend, perpetuated via its road and racing cars.

"I always had the passion for racing with everything with an engine and I always thought of Formula 1 as the pinnacle of motor sports, in terms of competition and technology. Obviously if there really were rules like the ones set by FIA, it would be difficult to imagine a Formula 1 we had until today.

"I can't imagine drivers racing each other on the track with cars built according to different rules; that wouldn't be good for the sport itself or for the fans. If that should happen, it would be too bad and I understand that a Company like Ferrari is thinking about racing somewhere else."

SOURCE: Autosport

HOWETT: TEAMS SEEK PROPER GOVERNANCE

Toyota team president John Howett says teams just want to establish a correct basis of governance for Formula 1, but insists their intention is to remain in the sport.

Toyota, Ferrari, Red Bull and now Renault have threatened to leave Formula 1 if the FIA pushes ahead with its plans to introduce budget cap regulations.

The teams are unhappy that there could be two sets of rules, and they have also expressed their disappointment at how the FIA introduced the regulations without the approval of the teams.

Howett said the way Ferrari expressed its concerns yesterday was a good reflection of what the other teams felt about the current situation.

He insisted the teams' main priority is to find a proper way to introduce new regulations.

"I feel that Ferrari's statement eloquently summarises the current struggle the Formula 1 teams are facing," said Howett.

"If you consider the single thread running through all team's similar statements it is a wish to establish a correct and proper basis of governance for the sport.

"There is clearly a genuine wish for all to continue to compete in Formula 1 but only if future stability is assured.

"To secure this, the priority for the future is a process of governance which ensures all competitors compete under the same rules, that the regulations are stable and which establishes a platform from which costs can be sensibly and actively reduced without destroying the core DNA of the sport."

SOURCE: Autosport

QUIT IS NO BLUFF - FERRARI

Ferrari insist they are serious in their threat to pull out of Formula 1 at the end of the year over plans to introduce a budget cap.

Board member Piero Ferrari likened the situation to a threat by his father Enzo, the company's founder, to quit F1 for the Indianapolis 500 in the 1980s.

"He wasn't bluffing," Piero Ferrari told The Guardian newspaper. "He was serious. And so are we."

Ferrari are one of four major teams to be unhappy with new rules for 2010.

Piero Ferrari is the only surviving son of Enzo Ferrari and owns 10% of the company.

He was present in the board meeting on Tuesday when the company's directors decided to end their 60-year involvement in F1 if FIA president Max Mosley does not amend his new rules.

"Our first objection is to the budget cap, which we don't believe it's possible to control," he said.

"The second is that it is wrong that a team accepting the budget cap has more freedom and different technical regulations.

"If we are on the starting line of a grand prix, we have to stay within the same regulations, the same technical specifications.

Ferrari stated: "It's like soccer. In Italy we have ­Internazionale, who are winning, and they spend huge amounts of money for the best players.

"But in Serie A you also have a team like Catania, who have no money.

"So do you say to Catania, 'You can play with 12 players' and to Inter, 'You must play with nine'? It wouldn't be fair.

"But this is what the new Formula 1 rules are like. They're not acceptable at all. ­

"Everybody on the grid has to start with the same rules, otherwise there's no ­competition and it's somebody else ­deciding who's going to win."

Mosley has said that the budget cap is necessary for F1 to survive the global financial crisis.

He says it is too expensive to run a winning car and believes the costs are discouraging new teams from entering.

However, Ferrari insisted: "This is not because we want to spend money. We want to save money. All the constructors are keen on reducing the F1 expenses.

"But you can reduce the expenditure without having a budget cap. And it's not enforceable, anyway.

"It's difficult enough to enforce the technical rules, as was proved recently by the business of the diffuser. So how can you enforce or control a budget cap?

"A better way is by controlling the expenses on the technical side.

"We are doing it on engines and it will be done next year on the gearbox. We can even introduce limits on material costs - carbon fibre, maybe.

"I have good friends racing in Nascar in the United States. They control the costs - the number of ­mechanics, for instance - and the teams are racing with the same rules for everybody. We could do something like that."

Ferrari believe Mosley has ignored the correct procedure of consultation that is required for changing the F1 rules - as well as those dictating technical stability.

There is also the possibility that he has broken an agreement defining Ferrari's rights signed in 2005.

Mosley counters this by saying Ferrari can continue to race under the current rules if they want to.

Board member Ferrari claimed: "He forgot any way of consulting what you might say are the actors of the show.

"I know that the economy is a problem for the world but this kind of attitude and changing rules in this way is not going to save the economy."

He revealed that Ferrari could race in another category if Mosley did not back down.

"Why not?" he said. "I strongly believe that if you look at the past of Ferrari, today's image is born from victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and sports and GT racing. Racing is in the DNA of Ferrari.

"My father started the business making and selling racing cars. We cannot forget our beginnings and the passion of my father is still in the company. ­Everybody in the company loves racing but we want racing with clear rules and starting from the same point. The same rules for everybody."

BBC SPORT

ECCLESTONE JOINS FIA/FOTA MEETING

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is to join a meeting between FIA president Max Mosley and teams in London tomorrow to discuss the row about a two-tier category next year.

After a week in which Ferrari, Toyota, Renault and the two Red Bull-owned teams have all confirmed that they will not lodge entries to the 2010 championship if the rules are not changed, tomorrow's talks look set to be crucial for the future of the sport.

Teams are unhappy that the imposition of a voluntary £40 million budget cap could lead to a two-tier F1 in 2010, and they are also aggrieved at what they believe has been a lack of consultation at the imposition of new regulations.

With the entry deadline for the 2010 championship closing at the end of this month, the FIA, Ecclestone and the teams only have two weeks to come to a compromise.

But despite the swell of opposition to the new rules among teams, Ecclestone believes that the main issue is sorting out Ferrari's position - as they are the most important team in F1.

"The key to F1 is Ferrari," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in the British press on Thursday. "They have been there for 60 years. They are partners of ours.

"They are the people we need to take into consideration. At the moment everyone is hanging on to their apron strings. Sort that out and we will be OK."

Of the other manufacturers in F1, only BMW and Mercedes-Benz have not yet joined those outfits stating that they will quit the 2010 championship if the rules are not changed.

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen said in Spain last week that his team's stance would be made clear after this week's meeting, while Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug has said his company is not looking for an exit.

He was quoted in the German press as saying that threatening to withdraw from F1 was 'not a topic at Mercedes'.

He added: "I know that from conversation with (Ferrari president) Luca di Montezemolo and (team principal) Stefano Domenicali that Ferrari has thought about this threat very well..

"After 60 years in Formula 1 they would not do so without some serious thinking. We will try to help to find a solution. All the teams are agreed that there cannot be two regulations in one series."

Ferrari has made it clear that its threat to withdraw from F1 is not just sabre-rattling, and that it is serious about switching to other racing categories.

Enzo Ferrari's son Piero Ferrari told The Guardian: "I strongly believe that if you look at the past of Ferrari, today's image is born from victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and sports and GT racing.

"We cannot forget our beginnings, and the passion of my father is still in the company. But we want racing with clear rules and starting from the same point."

When asked about his father's threat to quit F1 in 1986 and switch to an assault on the Indianapolis 500, Ferrari added: "He wasn't bluffing. He was serious. And so are we."

SOURCE: Autosport

BRIATORE: SOLOUTION NEEDED "AT ALL COSTS"

Renault boss Flavio Briatore believes a solution to the row over a two-tier Formula 1 must be achieved 'at all costs', ahead of showdown talks with the FIA in London tomorrow.

After a week in which Toyota, Red Bull, Ferrari and Renault all announced that they will quit F1 at the end of this year unless plans for a voluntary budget cap are scrapped, Briatore says that no one is keen for the situation to result in a breakaway series.

Speaking about the possibility of a rebel category, Briatore told Gazzetta dello Sport: "It is a remote hypothesis that everyone wants to avoid.

"We are living in a difficult moment and we must find a solution at all costs. I hope [Max] Mosley and his men will mend their ways, in order to start over in full harmony."

Briatore says that the teams are angry at both the rules that have been introduced for 2010, and the manner in which they were forced through without direct consultation with the teams.

"The teams are F1 and the international federation should simply be the referee, the rules should be written by us, they can't be imposed by Max without him speaking to anyone," he explained. "That's an unacceptable way to work.

"The FIA throws at us a new thing every week: we've gone from medals to diffusers with embarrassing thoughtlessness. We can't go on like this. We must protect the work of our employees."

He added: "It must be clear that we, Ferrari, and the others have no intention of breaking with FIA. We want to be there, to participate, and to preserve the future. We are setting logical conditions to Mosley."

Briatore also said that he believed the desire to attract new teams to the sport was misplaced, because manufacturers are ready to keep a full grid.

"We don't accept F1 to be distorted by a set of rules that has no reason to exist," he said. "The arrival of new teams that lack the characteristics to be admitted to a world championship is not acceptable either.

"Maybe he's [Mosley] had the support of some small teams and he got excited. However, what will happen with the championship he had the World Council voting for, is that the teams with the capped budget will be ahead of the ones that didn't accept that limit, thanks to more technical and design freedom.

"That can't be. That way you'd tarnish not just the image but also the value of who invests money in F1. A world championship with two sets of rules doesn't make sense."

Members of the Formula One Teams' Association will meet in London tomorrow morning, prior to their talks with Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone in the afternoon to discuss a way forward.

When asked if he was optimistic a solution could be found, Briatore said: "I must be."

SOURCE: Autosport

F3 SQUAD LITESPEED TO LODGE F1 ENTRY

Formula 3 team Litespeed has announced its intention to apply for an entry to the 2010 Formula 1 world championship under the new budget cap rules.

The team has joined forces with MGI Ltd, whose managing director is former F1 technical director Mike Gascoyne, and is hoping to be one of the 13 teams chosen for the new championship.

Team boss Nino Judge admitted he is not even sure the current budget cap rules will stay on, but he reckons it is the best moment to enter Formula 1.

"We don't yet know whether the cap team rules will be changed, and obviously we don't know if our application will be accepted," said Judge.

"The cap may be dropped altogether. The point is that there is not much time for the project to get on to the 2010 grid and we have to take some risks in order to maximise time for preparation.

"Potentially, there will never be a better time to enter the F1 arena. "The FIA has so far not only been bold in introducing the budget cap, but has evidently thought out the long-term prospects of this globally captivating sport.

"There is space and a need in the arena for independent teams and the technical leeway given to the budget-capped teams allows for a competitive performance within the financial parameters."

Applications for the 2010 championship close on May 29, and the FIA will announce the successful applicants on June 12.

Judge said his team would have a schemed F1 chassis by mid-June.

"In times of crisis we hope that fortune will favour the brave," added Judge. "Despite the potential backlash - which has become a reality - the FIA was not afraid to introduce pioneering measures to ensure the future of F1.

"We are confident that the FIA / FOTA will find a swift compromise, which is good for F1 and that allows new teams, like ours, to enter. As an innovative, cost-efficient and engineering based organisation, the budget cap initiatives fit with the very ethos of Litespeed GP, which is why now is the right time for us to make this announcement."

Litespeed joined the British F3 field in the middle of the 2008 season, having bought the rights to the SLC chassis used in the Euro Series in 2005.

The team has worked to develop the unique design in the National cIass with limited success so far, but also recently announced that it would run Jay Bridger's Championship cIass Mygale for the rest of 2009.

SOURCE: Autosport

BERNIE HOPES COMMON SENSE WILL PREVAIL

Bernie Ecclestone is hopeful "common sense will prevail" in the escalating row over the 2010 regulations and Formula 1 will not lose teams over the budget cap plans.

Ferrari raised the stakes in its objection to the £40 million cap, and the two-tier championship teams fear it will create, on Tuesday by announcing it will end its 60-year involvement in the sport at the end of this season unless the current regulations are altered.

The Maranello outfit's ultimatum follows similar warnings from fellow manufacturer Toyota and Red Bull/Toro Rosso owner Dietrich Mateschitz; with all three having said they will not lodge their entries for 2010 by the May 29 deadline if the current rules stand.

And with the prospect of more FOTA-affiliated teams following suit, F1's commercial supremo Ecclestone - who has previously said he would help soothe FIA/Ferrari tensions over the budget cap - trusts that the situation pulls back from the brink.

"I hope common sense will prevail because the last thing we want to do is lose any of the manufacturers or teams currently in Formula 1," he told The Times newspaper.

While both Ferrari and Toyota have publicly expressed unhappiness with the unilateral manner in which the FIA introduced the budget cap, the majority of squads have also revealed deep reservations about the two-tier nature of the system.

In its strongly-worded statement Ferrari labeled the plans - which will see teams either run under the cap with technical freedoms or continue to spend unlimited funds within the current rules - as being "based on arbitrary technical rules and parametres".

FOTA is due to meet FIA president Max Mosley in London later this week to discuss the budget cap, with Ecclestone having told the same newspaper on Tuesday that he expects many of the teams fears to be resolved - adding that the prospect of a two-tier format is "slowly disappearing".

The FIA, meanwhile, is refusing to be drawn on Ferrari's explosive announcement.

"We have nothing to add to the decision of the last World Council," a spokesman told itv.com/f1.

SOURCE: ITV-F1

LOLA TO PUSH AHEAD WITH F1 ENTRY

Lola has confirmed that it does plan to submit an entry to the 2010 Formula 1 world championship, following an evaluation process over the past few weeks.

On the eve of a crisis meeting at Heathrow to discuss the future plans of current teams, Lola issued a statement on Thursday night confirming that it was pressing ahead with plans to join F1 next year.

"The original cap of £30 million, including engines, formed the basis of Lola's initial interest," said the statement.

"The decision by the WMSC to revise the figure to £40 million plus engines, marketing, hospitality and driver fees led to a re-examination of the opportunity by Lola culminating in today's confirmation that it will proceed with its Formula 1 project.

"The Lola Group believes that the WMSC decisions relating to cost-capping and the provision of revised technical regulations to facilitate the entry of new teams into Formula 1 should be embraced. This is not only prudent considering the backdrop of global economics but also taking into account the need for new teams to be able to compete credibly against long established entrants."

And although plans for a two-tier championship have been slammed by leading teams such as Ferrari, Toyota and Renault, Lola thinks it is important to give budget capped outfits the edge.

"It is imperative that performance breaks be afforded to new cost-capped entrants who will have a limited period in which to form teams, design and manufacture their cars.

"With these breaks Lola looks forward to competing with the existing teams who enjoy decades of experience. The question of speed differentials, safety and the spectacle of Formula 1 must also be considered.

"The Lola Group is forging ahead with its Formula 1 project with the objective of securing an entry into the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and in the expectation that the decisions of the WMSC will be respected in full."

AUTOSPORT 

PARR: TIME RUNNING OUT FOR F1 SOLUTION

Williams CEO Adam Parr has said he fears time is running out to find a solution to secure the future of Formula 1 as teams head into their day of crunch meetings in London.

On the back of threats from Ferrari, Toyota, Renault and Red Bul to quit F1 if a two-tier category is introduced next week, team members have begun discussions at a Heathrow airport to find a way forward ahead of showdown talks with Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone this afternoon.

Although most team principals were keeping tight lipped about what they expected from the day, Parr admitted that the situation was very serious.

"I think this is a very important day," he said. "I think everybody feels we need to find a solution that makes sense for independent teams, manufacturers and the FIA - everybody."

When asked about Williams's stance on a budget cap, Parr said: "We have always been in support of a budget cap.

"You have to remember this was first formally put together in January 2008 in Paris, and we have always said we were in favour, although the level is something we have been flexible on as we recognise other teams are starting from a different point to us.

"We want to make sure we can get where we need in the right timeframe.

"Unfortunately we had an opportunity 12 months ago to do it in a more flexible and gentle way, and I fear time is running out."

Senior sources within teams have revealed this morning that although the boycott threat was sparked by the possibility of a voluntary budget cap, it is the governance of the sport that is now of bigger concern.

One representative from a leading team told AUTOSPORT: "Things have to change."

Interest in today's meeting is huge, with the world's media descending on the hotel to cover events.

It is Ferrari's threat to not enter the championship in 2010 that has fuelled coverage of the F1 crisis, and a team insider made it clear this morning that the team was not bluffing in its stance.

"We are serious," said the source.

Parr added: "I think different teams have different perspectives. For all of us the economic situation is very important but there is no question that for some of the teams it is governance of the sport.

"The position of FOTA is very important as well."

SOURCE: Autosport

NO AGREEMENT BETWEEN TEAMS AND FIA

The FIA's crunch meeting with teams ended without agreement on Friday as the governing body refused to compromise over plans for a two-tier category.

Max Mosley said there had been 'friendly' discussions with teams but that the FIA was not willing to back down over its plans for a £40 million cap, or the 29 May deadline for entries to the 2010 world championship.

The teams have now gone into another meeting to discuss their response to the FIA's stance.

"It was quite a friendly meeting, but in the end all that happened was that the teams have gone off to see if they can come up with something better than the cost cap," Mosley told reporters after the Heathrow meeting.

"We explained we cannot put back the entry date, as this has all been published, and we cannot disadvantage the potential new teams who will come in. But we are prepared to listen to whatever they have to say.

"In the meantime, the regulations are as published. We have explained that we want everyone to race under the same regulations. We have explained that we would like all of the teams to come in under the cost cap and that is what they have gone off to consider.

"We have said that we cannot see why anyone would want to operate under the cost cap, and it would mean a gradual relaxation of the technical regulations - which all the engineers would want. We said in the end the choice was between intellectual freedom and financial constraint, or intellectual constraint and financial freedom - which is what they have had up until now.

"We have pointed out, and it is something the engineers have said, that current F1 consists of endless refinement at enormous expense and we want to move away from that and have invention and creativity, but we can only do that if we restrict the cost - because if we have unrestricted cost nobody would be able to afford it.

"I think some of the teams agree with that idea, and some don't, and they have gone away to discuss it."

Ferrari, Renault, Toyota and the Red Bull teams have already declared that they will not enter the 2010 season under the rules as presently proposed by the FIA, and when asked if that remained the case, Mosley replied: "Well, as things stand, yes that is the situation."

It also emerged today that Ferrari has lodged legal action in the French courts to block the 2010 rules - claiming their introduction was a breach of a technical veto the Italian team has.

"During the meeting it became apparent that Ferrari has made an application to the French courts, and I don't know the details, but it is to apply for an injunction to stop us doing what we want to do," Mosley explained. "So that is where the situation rests as far as Ferrari is concerned."

The FIA president added that the discussions had extended to talks on a new Concorde Agreement, but that this issue also remained unresolved.

"Then they asked about the Concorde Agreement, and we said that we would be prepared if there was agreement on all of the other issues to resign the 1998 Concorde Agreement, and extend it for another five years," said Mosley.

"But there was not agreement between them and Bernie [Ecclestone] on the commercial side, which is unsurprising because they have been talking about it for two and a half years and still not reached agreement."

SOURCE: Autosport

MOSLEY DISMISSES FEARS OF F1 CRISIS

FIA president Max Mosley has played down talk of Formula 1 being left in crisis by the threat of teams to leave F1 because they are unhappy about a two-tier category.

After talks between teams and the FIA ended without agreement at a Heathrow hotel on Friday afternoon, Mosley said he is not worried about the situation.

He believes that the likes of Toyota, Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari were unlikely to see through their plans to not compete in 2010 - and believed legal action taken in France by Ferrari was proof that the Italian manufacturer wanted to remain in the sport.

"I don't think it will happen," said Mosley when asked by AUTOSPORT if he was worried about a number of big teams leaving F1. "There is this suggestion that there is some sort of crisis, but I don't think there is a crisis.

"We were absolutely up against the deadline for new teams, and if a new team is going to come into F1 they have got to know they have got an entry and they are in. We've already left it very late and that is why it was necessary to have an absolute deadline.

"Now that has been done, they will apply to enter and we will look at the applications and take a decision. Then there will probably be some vacancies, and then other teams may decide to enter later or not as the case may be. There won't be a crisis of any kind, if indeed a crisis at all, until March 2010 when we go to Melbourne. There is plenty of time.

"The people who are up against it time wise are new teams, because you cannot nowadays just start an F1 team at short notice. That is all underway - and we will see how the new teams look. There are a very large number of people who have expressed an interest, and a significant number of them are serious. The difficulty is that there are going to be more serious teams than the potential three places if all the existing teams entered. So we are going to have to take a view on that."

Mosley said he would be shocked in particular if Ferrari followed through in its plans not to enter 2010 if the rules do not change.

"I would be very surprised in the end if they do, because they have been saying we are going to leave - yet they seek an injunction to try and get the rules not changed," he said.

"If they were going to leave, you would think they would just leave. But in any event, it does not become an issue for the best part of a year, or 10 months."

Entries for the 2010 championship close at the end of May, and Mosley has warned that those current outfits that do not lodge their applications in time will risk being locked out of the sport if there are enough new entrants to fill the grid.

"This could happen," said Mosley. "You see, if they don't enter you can probably assume that some of them will stop, or do something else - go to Le Mans with a diesel engine or go to Indianapolis with a Honda engine. It is all possible."

Ferrari has lodged an injunction in the French courts because it believes that a technical veto it has on future technical regulation changes was not adhered to.

SOURCE: Autosport

Ecclestone:  Two-tier will be scrapped.

Looks like F1 as we know it has been saved.:D

MOSLEY EXPECTS TEAMS TO MISS MAY 29TH DEADLINE

FIA president Max Mosley now expects only around half the current grid to lodge entries to next year's Formula 1 world championship by this month's deadline, following the failure to reach agreement about plans for a voluntary budget cap in meetings last week.

Mosley and F1's commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone met with team representatives for lengthy discussions last week amid threats from a number of outfits about withdrawing from the sport at the end of this year.

And, following the failure of the teams to get any compromises off the FIA about its plans for a £40 million budget cap limit, Mosley now thinks it likely that some teams will opt against lodging their entries by the May 29 deadline.

Those teams that do not enter in time will face a late entry financial penalty if they want to get back in later, but also risk the possibility of not getting back in at all if the grid is filled with new outfits.

"I think that we will probably get anywhere between three and six teams by the deadline, depending," said Mosley, when asked by AUTOSPORT about what he thought would happen.

"After that they become a late entry and if there is a space they can take it, and if there isn't space they cannot."

Although there have been fears that F1 is facing a crisis because of the threats by teams to quit, Mosley remains totally calm about the situation. He believes that even if teams skip the May 29 deadline, then circumstances will force them to decide pretty quickly after that what they plan to do.

When asked about concerns of the situation remaining unresolved until the winter, Mosley said: "I'm not sure it will drag on that long, because if you put yourself in their position - they have to make up their minds what they want to do. If they want to continue racing in F1, then they can come and talk. And if they want to go and do something else, then they have got to start making a car.

"If teams don't enter the F1 world championship, they are going to have to decide pretty quickly what they do - start their own series, race in some other series or pack it in. And if they pack it in, they have got an even bigger problem than if they operate under a cost cap, as far as the personnel are concerned. It is not completely obvious what they would do.

"There is a good chance that when people sit and think about it, common sense will prevail because what is wrong with everybody being limited by the same amount of money, and the performance being limited by the cleverness of the engineers? It is very appealing to a lot of people that - and it is fair.

"And you could argue that if one team has got ten times as much money as another, then it is just the same as having a bigger engine. It is actually not very fair."

Mosley has also made it clear that if the rebel teams opt to set up a breakaway series, then the FIA would be happy to sanction it.

"Absolutely. We would have to do that, and we would do that. And if they did a breakaway, they could write their own rules and we would check them over for safety. And that would be it.

"Then, they would go off and negotiate with promoters and television companies, who would no doubt charge them a great deal of money as they would be there for marketing purposes.

"And rumour has it, when they went to negotiate with the promoters they would find Bernie on the other side of the table! I don't know if there is anything in that, but it is just a suggestion..."

FOTA members held a meeting after their get together with the FIA on Friday but failed to reach agreement on a way forward - with further talks now planned for this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

Ferrari's court action in France, as it seeks an injunction against the FIA's introduction of 2010 regulations, is due to be heard on Tuesday.

SOURCE: Autosport

FIGHT FOR F1 RULES MOVES TO COURTROOM

The fight over future Formula 1 regulations moves to the Paris courtroom this afternoon when Ferrari's bid to prevent a voluntary budget cap being introduced in 2010 is scheduled to be heard by French legal authorities.

Ferrari is seeking an injunction against changes that the FIA has made to next year's regulations - claiming that they are in breach of a technical veto that the team has had since 1998.

The move means that plans for a £40 million cost cap remain up in the air - just a few days before the entries for the 2010 world championship open.

Sources suggest that the outcome of the court case may not be known until later in the week. And even if Ferrari's injunction request is successful, the FIA has already said that it will appeal - meaning the matter may not get sorted for several weeks.

Ferrari has joined several other teams in saying it will not enter F1 next year unless the regulations are changed. And with the FIA refusing to compromise over plans that it thinks are vital for the future health of the sport, legal action was lodged on Friday by the Maranello outfit.

FIA president Max Mosley said after finding out about the court action last week that he believes Ferrari does not have a case - because it did not exercise the veto when it had the chance, and also that the veto right was effectively surrendered as soon as the team got involved in the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA).

"Obviously it will all come out in court," said Mosley. "We will say first of all it is no longer in place, and if they wanted to do a veto - they were in the meeting on March 17 and they should have done it there if they didn't agree. Instead, they just sat there. Anyway, it will be our contention that they walked away from that agreement some time ago."

He added: "Essentially they walked away by forming FOTA. They were always supposed to be loyal to the FIA, work with us and cooperate. Of course, Enzo Ferrari traditionally, he would sit in the middle between the British teams and the governing body, and he would move slightly one way or another according to his interests."

The interest surrounding the threats to not lodge entries to 2010 has increased because of Ferrari's involvement in the matter. But despite widespread suggestions that F1 would be damaged if it lost its most famous team, Mosley insists he is not more worried about losing the Italian outfit than anyone else.

"I actually once said they were the most important team, and that got immediately interpreted as giving them special treatment, which we don't and never have," explained Mosley. "They race under the same rules as everybody else.

"But from a public point of view they are the most important team, and that is reflected in the fact that they get the most money in their deal with Bernie [Ecclestone].

"But the idea that they are indispensable is nonsense. It is a little bit like poor [Ayrton] Senna. He was the most important driver in 1994 but when he very sadly got killed, F1 went on. Lotus was very important once, so were Brabham. All sorts of people - Maserati in the 1950s too."

FOTA members are expected to meet in Monaco on Friday to discuss their response to the FIA's insistence that the £40 million budget cap is going ahead next year.

SOURCE: Autosport

COURT TO RULE ON FERRARI CASE TOMORROW

French legal authorities will announce on Wednesday the verdict of the case in which Ferrari is seeking an injunction to prevent the FIA from introducing a budget cap in Formula 1 in 2010.

Representatives from both the Italian squad and the governing body appeared in a Paris court on Tuesday for an hour-long hearing, as the Maranello-based team pushed ahead with its bid to try and force the FIA to backtrack on its decision to introduce the voluntary £40 million cap from next season.

A French court representative said on Tuesday afternoon that its decision will be announced tomorrow at 2pm local time.

The FIA has already stated its intention to appeal the verdict if Ferrari wins the case, meaning the issue could prolong for some time.

SOURCE: Autosport

FOUR NEW TEAMS CONFIRM F1 PLANS

Former grand prix boss Nick Wirth, sportscar team Epsilon Euskadi, leading race car engineering company Ray Mallock Limited and GP2 outfit Campos Racing have joined the list of outfits confirming plans to compete in Formula 1 next year, AUTOSPORT has learned.

Although only a handful of outfits have gone public with their intention to make the step into F1 in 2010, a more expanded list of candidates emerged from the French courts on Tuesday during the hearing to discuss Ferrari's bid to get an injunction on next year's rules.

As part of the defence from the FIA that such an injunction would wreck the plans of new teams to make the jump to F1, AUTOSPORT understands that a number of letters were presented from new teams saying that any delay to them getting the go-ahead for 2010 plans would force them to abandon their efforts.

According to sources, the list of teams that were looking at moving to F1 were Lola, USF1, Wirth Research, Epsilon Euskadi, RML, Formtech, Campos Racing and iSport.

Another two outfits have also expressed an interest in moving up to F1. British F3 team Litespeed issued a statement declaring its intention to apply for an entry, while Prodrive has also admitted to be considering the move.

However, in recent days Prodrive boss David Richards has suggested that uncertainty over the 2010 regulations was forcing him to consider a rethink about his plans.

"The new regulations announced by the FIA are very much in line with what we were expecting and, I believe, have the potential to allow a team to be commercially viable and competitive on a far more realistic budget," he told GPWeek.

"However, we are very concerned about the controversy these proposals have created with the existing teams and the uncertainty that this has created."

Bernie Ecclestone has also talked about a second team from the United States expressing an interest.

FIA president Max Mosley made it clear last week that the governing body was unwilling to compromise on its plans for a £40 million voluntary budget cap because it was vital that new teams came into F1.

"If we wait any longer, we won't have any new teams because it is too late for them to come," he said. "I think there was an element among the FOTA teams hoping to delay until the point where there could be no new teams.

"I think we now have 11 organisations that say they want to come in, of whom seven are serious. So it will be interesting to see what happens."

Should Ferrari's injunction application be successful, then it will mean that all the 2010 regulations introduced by the FIA last month will be on hold - including the fact that the entry list for the 2010 championship closes on May 29.

With the matter likely to go to appeal whichever side wins, the delay in the entry list closure will buy manufacturer teams more time to propose alternative regulations to the FIA - even though it could force new entrants to abandon efforts.

A decision from the French courts is expected at 2pm local time on Wednesday.

SOURCE: Autosport

FERRARI LOSES LEGAL BID AGAINST FIA

Ferrari has lost its legal bid to lodge an injunction against the FIA's plans for a voluntary budget cap in Formula 1.

The Maranello outfit was told by French legal authorities on Wednesday that it did not have a valid reason to block plans for a £40 million voluntary budget cap.

The move means that next week's entry deadline for the 2010 championship will go ahead, leaving current teams a few days to resolve their opposition to the regulations.

Ferrari had gone to the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris because it believed that the FIA's introduction of the regulations had been in breach of a technical veto that the team has over future technical rule changes.

The FIA argued, however, that the veto was no longer valid - and that Ferrari had also not used the available opportunities to impose its right.

It was also suggested to the court that imposing an entry deadline of next week was important to help secure the future of new teams in the sport - who need as much notice as possible so as to get their entries in place.

Ferrari has joined several other teams in saying that it will not lodge an entry to the 2010 world championship unless changes are made to the rules for next year.

SOURCE: Autosport

Ferrari are now complaining that next year's entries aren't good enough for them: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75443. It seems Ferrari are against everything and everyone; they're clearly just sour because they're having a rubbish season. They were against the two-tier championship, and fair enough, but they seem completely opposed to any budget cap, and will not negotiate. They're hurting their fans if anything, because they would hate to see their team out of F1, which seems entirely possible.

If the two-tier system is almost certainly ruled out, I'd expect to see most teams except Ferrari sign up before the deadline. Any later and obviously there is a huge risk of teams losing their place.

Ferrari are now complaining that next year's entries aren't good enough for them: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75443.

cjek

That was uncalled for.  Ferrari may be the best, but they're also the biggest whiners.  :roll:

ECCLESTONE WORRIED FERRARI MAY LEAVE F1

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has admitted that he is worried by the prospect of Ferrari quitting the sport because of the row over budget caps.

Ferrari's legal bid to prevent plans for a voluntary budget cap was rejected by the French courts on Wednesday, and it is looking increasingly likely that the Italian team will not submit an entry for the 2010 championship by next week's deadline.

With discussions between teams to try and find an alternative cost-cutting proposal to the FIA's £40 million budget cap are scheduled for Friday in Monaco, Ecclestone has conceded that he is not totally comfortable with the situation.

"Well, I am concerned, I don't want them leaving," said Ecclestone about Ferrari's tough stance. "I don't think anybody does."

Ecclestone has 'doubts' that teams will be able to come up with a solution to the problem before the May 29, and reckons that most outfits will not lodge entries by the time the deadline closes.

"We will have to wait and see," he said about what will happen next week. "Probably, the majority won't put an entry in."

When asked for his thoughts on Ferrari's cheeky suggestion that the quality of teams looking at entering F1 meant that the category should be renamed 'Formula GP3', Ecclestone said: "It is an opinion, isn't it? We've had more than 70 teams in and out since F1 started. The only people who have been consistent are Ferrari, because they have been there from day one. So, we don't want to lose Ferrari."

Ecclestone also believes that the rejection of Ferrari's legal bid meant little in terms of resolving the current situation.

"It is exactly the same as it was before. It means with the veto, they have they have to serve it at the right time. So if somebody does something today, then they need to serve a veto by Monday to stop it, so nothing has changed from that point of view. Let's see what happens."

AUTOSPORT