A French court on Wednesday dismissed Ferrari’s bid to stop Formula One from instituting a budget cap next season, and the Italian team reiterated its threat to pull out of the 2010 championship.
Ferrari sought a court injunction against governing body FIA’s plans to introduce a voluntary US$60 million cap for racing teams, but the appeal was rejected by Judge Jacques Gondrand de Robert.
“There is no imminent damage that needs to be prevented or clearly unlawful unrest that needs to be stopped,” the judge said.
PHOTO: AFP
Ferrari, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull and Toro Rosso have said they could withdraw from next year’s championship if the cap is not overturned.
The judge accepted Ferrari’s legal right to challenge the plans but agreed with the FIA that the team should have taken its case earlier to the World Motor Sport Council.
“No competitor should place their interests above those of the sport in which they compete,” FIA president Max Mosley said after the ruling. “The FIA, the teams and our commercial partners will now continue to work to ensure the well-being of Formula One in 2010 and beyond.”
Ferrari said it hadn’t decided whether to continue with legal action, adding it wants to ensure that “Formula 1 is a series where the rules are the same for everyone” and where cost cuts are “gradual.”
“Ferrari will not enter its cars in a competition that, with the planned scenario in place, would see a watering down of the characteristics that have endowed Formula 1,” Ferrari said in a statement.
The team hinted it would consider competing in a breakaway series.
“In this situation, Ferrari will continue to compete in races of a caliber worthy of the marquee, matching its level of innovation and technological research,” the team said.
The deadline for entering next year’s championship is May 29, giving disgruntled teams little more than a week to find an alternate solution.
Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen said he expects the team will leave F1 if things don’t improve.
“I am pretty sure we are going to disappear from Formula One,” the 2007 world champion said. “Definitely for me it’s not good for Formula One to have these kind of things going on.”
Teammate Felipe Massa said the dispute was frustrating for racers, who are preparing in Monaco for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
“For sure that doesn’t help the sport,” the Brazilian said. “This fight means many people are going to be upset. The only thing is it would be nice to have more sport and less political [fighting]. I hope things [are] going to be OK.”
■MONACO GP
AP, MONACO
Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello was fastest yesterday at the Monaco Grand Prix’s opening practice session, with Ferrari and McLaren joining Formula One’s surprise team at the top of the timesheet.
Barrichello set a fastest lap time of 1 minute, 17.189 seconds to lead Ferrari’s Felipe Massa by just more than three-tenths of a second.
Lewis Hamilton, who won in Monaco last year, was third with a best lap of 1:17.578 ahead of teammate Heikki Kovalainen. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen completed the top-five, finishing 0.839 back of Barrichello.
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