Mosley attacks owners' resistance to change

MOTOR SPORT: Max Mosley has called on Formula One team bosses to end their "absolutely stubborn and entrenched" resistance to change.

Formula One is facing a crisis following Ford's decision to sell both Jaguar's Formula One team and the Cosworth engine division, a move which puts serious question marks over the future of a third of the grid.

Mosley remains bullish about the future of Formula One, believing the current crisis will be ridden out, but delivered a swipe at the teams he feels are blocking change.

The Englishman, president of world governing body, the FIA, is trying to force through measures to cut speeds and also trim costs, but he has met resistance throughout.

Yesterday, he used the backdrop of China's €300 million Shanghai International Circuit to call for co-operation to save the sport.

"When you see all of this you realise what the potential is," he said of the 200,000-seat facility. "The absolutely stubborn and entrenched opposition is very frustrating.

"It is depressing to come and see what China has done, and our response is to say we maybe won't have 10 teams next season. It's not necessary. The problems are all solvable.

"You must be able to react. Two years ago it was obvious we needed to react. More than two years ago we started urging change, and here we are.

"Manufacturers come when it suits them and go when it suits them," he said. "Formula One is not a manufacturer's core business. Formula One is Eddie Jordan's core business, not Ford's core business, and if we want to be sure we've got people around we've got to think of the Eddie Jordans and Paul Stoddarts (Minardi) and Saubers."

Mosley's hands are tied by the Concorde Agreement which governs Formula One, giving teams the power to veto all changes unless driver safety is at stake.

That is exactly what they have done to most of Mosley's reforms so far, although he has used his crusade to cut speeds to allow him to help trim costs.

Formula One's inability to address mounting issues regarding costs has pushed Ford to sell Jaguar, while Minardi and Jordan face uncertain futures after their Cosworth engine deals were pulled from under them.

The sport's commercial contracts stipulate 20-car grids and, after the failures of the Prost and Arrows teams, any more withdrawals will prompt drastic measures.

Mosley feels any move to push top teams into running three cars - which they are contractually bound to do should any smaller teams fall by the wayside - could spell disaster for the sport.

He believes that option would cost too much and the threat of it will be enough to prompt a more palatable solution to Formula One's difficulties.

"I'm not at all sure they can put three competitive cars in the field because it will cost each of them significantly more, so where's the money going to come from?" Mosley said. "That's the problem.

"There is an obligation on the teams to produce 20 cars either by running a third car or by subsidising another team or whatever.

"But what happens if that pushes two or three more teams over the limit of their finances? It is a very significant thing indeed.

"I think everybody's going to sit down very carefully and decide what they will do. It may be that the manufacturers themselves realise they are putting too much money in, spending money in the wrong ways, encouraging the teams to do that and actually destroying the business.

"It's like giving too much money to a child, it seems nice at the time, but it can do damage."

Michael Schumacher was made to look human for once as he struggled in yesterday's practice for the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix.

But the all-conquering German, who wrapped up his seventh world title in Belgium last month, vowed to get it right at the gleaming Shanghai circuit.

"It is a challenge," said the Ferrari driver after improving from 15th in the morning to eighth in the afternoon session. "It is pretty unique, I would say. There are a lot of blind corners that are very tricky."

The twisting Shanghai circuit proved a great leveller with Briton Anthony Davidson, BAR's third driver, quickest in practice.