The Formula One Teams Association could form a breakaway series if its conditional entry for next season’s championship is rejected by governing body FIA.
FOTA said on Friday at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul that it wasn’t “bluffing” over the possible threat, describing it as a “worst case scenario” in the standoff over budget caps and other changes for next year.
The eight teams want to set their own budgets and renew the sport’s governance agreement before June 12, when the FIA releases the entry list for next year’s championship.
“We don’t want a war with Mr. Mosley,” Renault team principal Flavio Briatore said of FIA president Max Mosley. “Nobody wants a war with anybody. We want a better Formula One, better show, better entertainment — that’s what we want.”
Mosley challenged teams earlier this week to form a separate series if they didn’t accept his bid to push through a $60 million voluntary budget cap next year. At least 10 teams have signed up for the three extra entries available — apart from the current 10 teams on the starting grid. The Associated Press
Formula One’s drivers have declared their support for the ‘rebel’ teams and backed their threats of creating a breakaway series if they cannot resolve the sport’s current crisis.
After a meeting with the teams on Sunday, drivers’ spokesman Italian veteran Jarno Trulli said that if there was no settlement before Friday, the drivers were ready for a split in the sport.
“And if that happens, I think we drivers all understand very well which is the right side for us to be on - we are staying with the teams,” he said.
Trulli said: “All the drivers have the same feeling: to follow FOTA and respect above all the work they are doing on the coming rules and the running of Formula 1 in a serious way for the future. AFP
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