Ferrari & Toyota Threaten to Leave; FIA Undeterred

> FIA’s plan to introduce a standard engine to Formula One has been treated as a reason to quit the sport for Italian giants Scuderia Ferrari & Japanese manufacturer Toyota. As part of the cost-cutting measures in Formula One, this rule will be brought onto the table for discussion and the FIA firmly believe that the governing body is the best judge of the best measures to adopt, not the teams. Although the body has alternative cost-cutting remedies, both Ferrari’s & Toyota’s threat to quit have not been strong enough for the FIA to consider reversing the decision.

The president of the FIA, Max Mosley, sent a communication to all teams stating the three most likely alternatives for cost-cutting. They included the introduction of a standard engine for all teams; supply of engines from a single manufacturer, or supply of engines to independent teams at less than 5 million Euros per season. >

In an official statement made by the FIA, they stated that “The FIA has noted the press statement issued by the Ferrari board of Directors. It seems the Ferrari board were misinformed. The FIA has offered the teams three options, one of which is the so-called standard engine, and another that the manufacturers should jointly guarantee to supply power trains to the independent teams for less than 5 million euro per season.

“The FIA is delighted by Ferrari’s financial success and hopes this will be maintained. However a number of teams find themselves facing costs which greatly exceed income. This is not sustainable.

“It is now for the manufacturers to agree one of the three FIA options or themselves produce concrete proposals to reduce costs to a sustainable level. If neither happens, the FIA will take whatever measure proves necessary to preserve a credible world championship for both drivers and constructors.”