11/05/2009
NEWS STORY
With the 2010 entry deadline looming, and the row over budget caps far from settled, FOTA is seeking a meeting with the FIA before next week's Monaco GP.
In the wake of the World Motor Sport Council's decision, at which it was agreed the budget cap limit be raised to £40m and the confirmation that the proposals will effectively mean a two-tier series, the Formula One Teams Association, at its meeting, requested urgent talks with the sport's governing body, especially in light of the fact that entries for the 2010 World Championship now have to be submitted by May 29.
Talking to reporters in Barcelona at the weekend, FOTA Vice-President, John Howett, confirmed that FOTA (and Ferrari) President Luca di Montezemolo is keen to meet with Max Mosley before the May 29 deadline.
"They have more or less agreed to meet at least next week or early the week following," said Howett, who is also President of Toyota Motorsport.
Like Ferrari, Toyota has warned that should a two-tier formula be introduced to F1 it would have to seriously consider withdrawing from F1, claiming that while cost cutting is needed, a budget cap is against the spirit of F1.
A meeting between FOTA and Mosley in Barcelona was not possible as the FIA President is indisposed following the death of his son Alexander last week.
However, FOTA did meet in Spain, where no doubt the preparations for the "war" with Mosley continued.
"We had a very constructive FOTA meeting," said Howett, "continuing the next phase of what we would like to see as cost reduction. The meeting was more about actually continuing the process that we've achieved this year, we've achieved in our case around 35 to 40 percent savings and I think the show is as good as it's ever been."