02/05/2014
NEWS STORY
The four small teams - Sauber, Force India, Marussia and Caterham - have been told to come up with their own suggestions in terms of cost cutting.
While little is understood to have come out of yesterday's meeting at Biggin Hill, it is understood that the threat of the European Union becoming involved in the sport once again has left several of the big teams, and the FIA, not to mention CVC, somewhat "rattled".
Ahead of a further meeting in Monaco, the representatives of the eleven teams, Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt, the four small teams expressed their anger and frustration at how the F1 Strategy Group was able to ride rough-shod over plans to introduce a cost cap in 2015 and the FIA's capitulation.
However, faced with the threat of the European Union's intervention, which, apart from anything else, could damage the FIA's hold on the sport and at the same time scupper CVC's plan to float it, the governing body has asked the smaller teams to go away and come up with some ideas in terms of how best to cut costs. It is understood Todt is looking for figures in the "tens of millions".
While hopes of having anything in place for 2015 look slim it is understood the EU threat has swung things back in favour of the smaller teams.
Among the proposals currently on the table is a standard issue active suspension together with the reduction in the number of gearboxes available, simplification of the front wings (yawn), lengthening curfews and further reducing staff numbers taken to races.
Chris Balfe