Formula One plunged deeper into crisis on Friday with Ferrari taking legal action in France to try to prevent the governing body from pressing ahead with plans for a budget cap next year.
International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley, taking a hardline stance, told reporters after a two hour meeting with the teams at a Heathrow hotel that there had been no compromise on the controversial regulations.
Champions Ferrari, the sport’s most successful and glamorous team, have said they would bring down the curtain on 60 years of involvement in Formula One if the published rules are not re-written.
Mosley doubted they would quit, but said the sport would survive if they did, drawing a parallel with the 1994 death of triple champion Ayrton Senna.
“The idea that they are indispensable is nonsense,” the Briton said. “It’s a little bit like poor Senna. He was the most important driver in 1994, but when he very sadly got killed Formula One went on. Lotus were very important once, so were Brabham.”
Mosley said there could be no flexibility on a May 29 deadline for entries for next year’s championship, warning also that there was a significant number of serious would-be competitors eager to come in.
Despite that, he said the governing body wanted all the teams to race under the same regulations and they had “gone off to reconsider” their position and see if they could agree an acceptable alternative.
The FIA head played down talk of a crisis, saying there was plenty of time yet, but the Ferrari legal action had complicated matters.
“When people start bringing proceedings it gets very difficult to negotiate with them,” he said of an application for an injunction that he heard about through a text from his lawyer.
The FIA want an optional £40 million (US$61 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.
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