Ferrari president says F1 teams stand as one

By Alan Baldwin

MONACO (Reuters) - Formula One teams are united and agreed on a final position in a row with the governing body about the 2010 regulations, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said on Friday.

"As always there's been a very good meeting, with a very good atmosphere and we are all together," he said at the Monaco Grand Prix after a gathering of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) that he chairs.

"We will be in position to go to the chairman of FIA saying in a very constructive but very clear way the position of FOTA."

Montezemolo, whose team have threatened to pull out unless the rules are re-written, was meeting International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley later.

Stepping off Renault team principal Flavio Briatore's luxury yacht after two and a half hours of talks, Montezemolo was engulfed in a scrum of television crews, reporters and bystanders.

Asked how confident he was for the future, he replied: "We will see."

"What is important is that our view of the future is absolutely in common," said Montezemolo, adding that "we want Formula One, we don't want something else."

Questioned further whether this was their "final proposition," he replied simply: "yes."

Champions Ferrari have threatened to end an unbroken 60 years involvement at the end of the season while Renault, Toyota and the two Red Bull teams have also said they cannot continue under the regulations laid out.

The FIA has said there will be an optional 40 million pound ($63.18 million) budget cap available next year with those accepting it given greater technical freedom than teams remaining with unrestricted budgets.

Ferrari, who failed to secure a legal injunction to stop the rules in a French court earlier in the week, say this will lead to an unacceptable two-tier series and reduce the championship to the level of a junior category.

The FIA, which wants to bring in new teams to fill up the grid to bolster the sport against the global recession, has imposed a May 29 deadline for all to register their entries.

(Editing by Alison Wildey)

Article Published: 22/05/2009