If formula one does not act, car manufacturers could quit and the very existence of motor sport could be under threat.
That is the belief of FIA president Max Mosley, who in an interview with the newspaper Welt am Sonntag justified his tough stance on modernising the rules for the future.
Talks with the carmakers have already begun about revolutionising the rulebook for 2011, with things like biofuel-powered V6 engines on the table.
The last carmaker to pull out of F1 was Ford at the end of 2004, but Mosley insisted: "We must continue to cut the costs.
"My experience is that if one manufacturer decides it has become too expensive, another one could also say goodbye very quickly. We have to remember that the people sitting on these companies' executive boards are not necessarily F1 fans."
He admits that recent rule changes like longer-life engines and the new 'engine freeze' in 2007 had not dramatically altered the manufacturers' willingness to spend money.
"Only two of them have actually reduced their budgets," Mosley said.
"Instead of enjoying the cost savings they have continued to spend exactly the same sums, to develop maybe three or four more horse power -- and that's crazy."
Along with cost, Mosley is also desperate to make the rules of the future more road-relevant and environmentally friendly, particularly when he fears a looming world oil crisis.
Denying reports that he is considering introducing 'standard cars', Mosley did admit that the chassis rules will be changed.
He asked rhetorically: "Do you know how much carbon dioxide is blown into the air when top teams run two wind-tunnels 24 hours a day, day after day?
"We are talking about thousands of tons, and then at the end of the day the races are boring.
"And cars that use 75 litres of fuel to go 100 kilometres are no longer acceptable."
Mosley warned: "If we do not act, the very existence of formula one will be under threat. We do not live on another planet so we have to face reality."
Source: F1-update Motorsport
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