FIA Rejects FOTA Proposal for Deadline Extension

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) rejected the Formula One Teams Association's (FOTA) proposal for a delay in the 2010 entry list deadline, scheduled on May 29th. Due to the quit row and the controversial budget cap rules for next season, the teams have asked for the postponement of the aforementioned deadline from two to four weeks, prior to the Monaco Grand Prix.

However, as it has emerged from a statement made by Ferrari's team principal Stefano Domenicali, the FIA refused to grant the FOTA with an extension, therefore adding some more fuel to the Formula One crisis.

“We asked and we had no luck,” said Domenicali. Countryman and Renault team boss Flavio Briatore was also critic of the FIA – for not making any steps in solving the current issues with the teams – as the ruling body's decision to move the deadline from November to May is chaotic in the first place.

“Every year it (the entry deadline) is in November, and this year it is in May. I do not understand why,” added Briatore.

It seems the reason why Max Mosley and the FIA are not very fond of an extension to the initial deadline is that the international body has already managed to secure the entry of several active F1 teams for 2010, including Williams and McLaren Mercedes. Although the latter is yet to announce an application for next year, Mosley's meeting with team boss Martin Whitmarsh and Merc's motorsport director Norbert Haug is the living proof that things are going the right way for the FIA.

During the course of last weekend, it has emerged that a letter was sent by the FOTA to Max Mosley, stating that no team will submit their application for a 2010 entry unless the rules will be revised. However, it seems it had little effect on the teams themselves, as everyone seems to have a personal agenda within the current political environment of Formula One.