Ferrari has criticised Formula 1’s new optional budget cap as ‘fundamentally unfair and perhaps even biased’ and as being liable to create a two-tie, split-level championship of haves and have-nots – as Luca di Montezemolo hinted that the team’s involvement is ‘not a never-ending story’.
The £40 million limit was formally ratified during a meeting of the governing body’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in Paris earlier this week, with those teams that adhere to it set to benefit from such technical incentives as movable front and rear wings, an engine that is not subject to a rev limit, unlimited out-of-season track testing, no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing and twice as much KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) power – none of which will be available to their free-spending rivals.
FIA President Max Mosley has suggested that as the top flight’s longest-standing entrant, Ferrari would set a strong example in pledging its support to the budget cap – something its own president, di Montezemolo, has made it clear the team is unlikely to do. The Italian wrote to Mosley on 28 April – two days before the details of the cap were made public – expressing his misgivings about the idea and complaining that the Scuderia had been allowed insufficient time to consider the proposal before the WMSC reunion.
According to international news agency, di Montezemolo warned Mosley that Ferrari’s status meant it had guaranteed rights within the sport – and that he expected these to be respected. He added that he had ‘always been concerned’ about a cost cap ‘mainly because I consider that there are serious technical difficulties in making sure that any cap can realistically be monitored’. Yahoo! Eurosport
But as Ferrari seeks to persuade rival teams to oppose the plans, Mr Mosley made clear in an interview that he would face down the Italian F1 team’s objections.
“The sport could survive without Ferrari,” he said, acknowledging that its continuation in the sport could not be guaranteed. “It would be very, very sad to lose Ferrari. It is the Italian national team.” Financial Times
In an exchange of letters, International Automobile Federation (FIA) head Max Mosley rejected a suggestion by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo that the budget cap would result in a “fundamentally unfair and perhaps even biased” championship.
“I hope Ferrari will take the lead in agreeing the cost cap mechanism, thus freeing its engineers to work and preserving its shareholders money,” Mosley wrote.
“As you know, we are in an unprecedented situation,” Mosley wrote in a reply to Montezemolo dated 29 April and quoting Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Ferrari’s parent FIAT.
“The car industry and financial services are the two main sources of Formula One income. Both are in serious difficulty. We cannot just sit and wait, hoping nothing bad will happen.
“We have already lost one manufacturer. Despite my repeated requests, not a single manufacturer has given us a legally-binding undertaking that it will continue in Formula One,” added the Briton.
“We may lose another manufacturer team at any moment. We already know that the current levels of expenditure are unsustainable for the independent teams.
“If we are to reduce the risk of the Formula One world championship collapsing, we have to allow new teams in. We also have to reduce costs drastically. The matter is therefore extremely urgent,” wrote Mosley. The Independent
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