Toyota is adamant that it will only remain a part of the grand prix grid should the FIA’s controversial optional £40 million budget cap be abolished for 2010.
All of the present incumbents have signed up for next year following a long FIA-FOTA stand-off over Max Mosley’s much-debated cost-cutting initiative, but in its entry submission FOTA stipulated that the conditions of the teams continuing participation depend upon the retention of ‘the current 2009 regulations, amended in accordance with proposals that FOTA has submitted to the FIA’.
So far, six new outfits - Prodrive, Lola, Team USF1, Campos Meta 1, Team Superfund and Litespeed GP - have lodged entry applications for the campaign ahead.
Click Here For More Formula 1 Photos
Toyota Motorsport President and FOTA Vice-President John Howett has re-affirmed that should any semblance of a ‘two-tier’ cost cap be introduced and technical restrictions be imposed upon free-spending competitors, the big-budget Japanese manufacturer and a number of its rivals will be forced to look elsewhere for a competitive sphere.
“We believe that everybody has to compete under the same rules,” said the Englishman.
“I don’t believe that anybody objects to new teams joining the series, (but) I don’t think, at the moment, that there is any discussion of a budget cap.
“A number of us feel that unless the actual conditions are satisfied then we have to seriously consider alternatives.”
| 
|