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Briatore: "Cheap Teams Have No Place in F1"

Renault's Flavio Briatore insisted another reason why budget caps should not be admissible from as early as next year is that the sport will be invaded by “cheap teams”. The Italian said Formula One should continue to be regarded as an exclusive sport and only the teams willing to spend more than the FIA-estimated 40M (pounds sterling) should join the series.

Following FIA's confirmation of the budget caps for 2010, the deadline for submitting applications for the upcoming season's entry list was set for May 29th. Until now, it is believed only Brawn GP, Williams and Force India are OK with the new regulations and will have no problem applying for an F1 entry, while 3 other teams are expected to join F1 thanks to the new budget cap.

While US Grand Prix Engineering have already unveiled their plans for 2010, Lola and David Richards are still in doubt over their potential entry (the latter is looking for Middle East branding for his team). Briatore insisted, however, that having those teams in F1 would be like “seeing discount stores suddenly established on an exclusive shopping street”.

Whoever has 20 or 25 million euros should not be able to operate a formula one team. If we make that possible, the brand will be worth nothing,” continued the Italian, while pointing out that the sport will lose all its charisma if the big names will decide to leave the sport.

Without big, important names - and Ferrari is one of them - formula one is worth much less,” added the Renault boss.

The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) is to meet with FIA's president Max Mosley later this month, in London, to further discuss the issue. According to Briatore, a budget cap could be possible in F1, only on two conditions: starting from 2011 and becoming obligatory for all teams, not optional as it is now.

A brutal solution, that is before us at the moment, doesn't have a chance,” said a pretty determined Briatore.
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