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FOTA Slam Budget Cap Announced by the FIA

The latest changes regarding voluntary budget caps for Formula 1 teams, announced by the World Motor Sport Council on Tuesday, did not fit very well into Formula One Teams Association's plans for the future. And that's to put it official! In other words, the FOTA slammed the FIA for taking the decision without prior consultation with the F1 teams' representatives.

In a statement issued shortly after their meeting in Paris, the WMSC announced the introduction of a 33 million euros budget cap for the teams willing to submit to it. In exchange, those teams will benefit from total technical freedom.

The FOTA replied, via a statement of their own, suggesting that FIA's latest changes were not the result of collaboration between the two bodies but an unilateral decision made by the latter. He argued that the continuing change in F1 framework will become “confusing for car manufacturers, teams, the public and sponsors.”

“With regard to the decisions taken today by the FIA World Council, FOTA would like to express its disappointment and concern at the fact that these have been taken in a unilateral manner. The framework of the regulations as defined by the FIA, to be applicable as from 2010, runs the risk of turning on its head the very essence of Formula 1 and the principles that make it one of the most popular and appealing sports,” said the statement from FOTA's CEO Luca di Montezemolo.

“Given the timeframe and the way in which these modifications were decided upon, we feel it is necessary to study closely the new situation and to do everything, especially in these difficult times, to maintain a stable framework for the regulations without continuous upheaval,” concluded the Italian.

FIA's president Max Mosley himself admitted that the international body did not consult with FOTA on the budget cap matter, but insisted it was necessary to announce this change in order for things to move faster.

“We cannot wait, because new teams wishing to enter the 2010 championship will need to start work immediately,” argued Mosley, according to a Q&A session on FIA's official site.
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