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Formula One supremo Max Mosley - Source: Reuters -
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Formula One's governing body is proceeding as planned with a
budget cap for 2010 and Ferrari are taking legal action in France
to try to stop them, FIA president Max Mosley said.
Despite an apparent impasse after talks between the teams and
governing body at London's Heathrow airport, Mosley doubted the
champions would carry out their threat to walk away at the end of
the season.
He said the May 29 deadline for teams to enter the championship
remained in force and the FIA hoped all the teams, who he said had
"gone off to reconsider", would race under the same regulations
rather than in a two-tier series.
Mosley made clear the Ferrari legal action had complicated matters,
however.
"When people start bringing proceedings it gets very difficult to
negotiate with them," he told reporters after what he described as
a "lively" two-hour meeting.
He said the Italian team's application for an injunction, which he
heard about through a text from his lawyer, was "to stop us doing
what we want to do". It will be heard by a Paris court next Tuesday
before the showcase Monaco Grand Prix.
Special privileges
The FIA governing body has its headquarters in Paris and Ferrari,
who enjoys special privileges as Formula One's oldest and most
successful team, will claim they were unable to exercise their
right to veto the regulations.
Mosley said the FIA would appeal if the court ruled in Ferrari's
favour.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo did not attend Friday's
meeting after the death of his father on Thursday and the champions
were represented instead by team boss Stefano Domenicali.
The FIA want an optional 40 million pounds ($102.9 million) cost
cap, offering greater technical freedom than available to those
teams staying on unrestricted budgets, that they say is needed for
the sport's survival in the face of the global financial
crisis.
Ferrari, and former champions Renault, say that will lead to a
two-tier championship that they cannot accept and have both
threatened to leave.
Toyota and Red Bull's two teams have also said they cannot submit
their entries by the May 29 deadline for the same reasons.
Formula One needs Ferrari but the Italian glamour team also need
the sport, something that commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone has
been at pains to point out.
