16/07/2006
NEWS STORY
Ferrari's Jean Todt has given the manufacturers that comprise the GPMA an ultimatum of less than 24-hours in which to agree on engine rules otherwise he will withdraw his team's support for any change to the regulations.
Speaking following today's race, and in the wake of statements from the GPMA, FIA and Renault, Todt said: "The only comment I can make: first of all, we have not been involved with any kind of statement about the engines over the weekend.
"We said, and I mentioned at Indianapolis that an unanimous agreement was taken which we felt was going in the proper direction to make everybody together sign. I signed a document, on behalf of Ferrari. I think I was the first to sign, what I would call a post-Indy document which was discussed over the meeting at Indianapolis but which was not written on their agreement, so we made a kind of clarification and I signed and I never heard about the paper any more.
"I know that there were some meetings," he added, "I felt that there was no need for me to attend the meetings because I signed the paper. I was not involved, Ferrari was not involved in the GPMA discussions to support commercially the private teams. I understand that an agreement has not been achieved. If we have to postpone the final decision by 24-hours I would be prepared to accept that. That's where we are."
Referring to the 24-hour deadline, he said: That's why I said 24-hours would not change. Over that, for me, that would be the frozen engines from 2008 on, with some possibilities earlier, depending on the issues with the Technical Working Group and the FIA."
Asked if he might consider extending the deadline, he added: "Normally if you make a deal you have to respect it, which sometimes seems a bit strange in Formula One, but let's say I still try to focus on that."