MOTOR SPORT FORMULA ONE:MAX MOSLEY, the FIA president, has slated Ferrari for their lukewarm reaction to rule changes designed to make Formula One more technically challenging.
The head of motor sport expressed surprise that Ferrari had objected to the Kers system, due to be introduced next year, which captures energy generated under braking and transforms it into short bursts of additional power.
"We've finally found a serious engineering challenge for the teams in Kers," Mosley said. "Some manufacturers have risen to this challenge, one manufacturer has produced electric systems which will astonish people when they appear, another team is working on a completely new technology which will also astonish.
"But some leading teams, such as Ferrari, have said that they don't like Kers because it is too complicated. Could you imagine the great Formula One engineers like Colin Chapman (the founder of Lotus) or Keith Duckworth (co-founder of Cosworth) saying, 'I can't do that because it is too complicated'?
"It is a symptom of a disease in Formula One where incremental change becomes the whole object of the exercise and real, serious innovation plays no part."
Mosley, speaking at a motor sport business forum in Monaco, also said Honda's withdrawal from Formula One may be followed by others.
"Honda pulled out because of falling car sales and there is no guarantee that these will not drop further," he said.
"If they do, then we have to prepare for other manufacturers to pull out, not only from F1 but other areas of motor sport as well.
"I don't think F1 is teetering one way or the other in terms of bust or survival, but if things get worse in the car industry then it could be.
"At the moment nobody can say we are seeing the bottom and that it will improve. All the stock markets are up in the last two or three days, and they may think things are going to get better. They may be right, but then again they may be wrong. The thing is, we literally don't know.
"If things get better for the car industry, then that's fine, we are through the worst. We would just need to sort out Formula One.
"If things get worse, then our problems will get worse."
Meanwhile, the FIA and Fota, the Formula One Teams Association, have agreed significant cost cuts from next year.
"Agreement was reached on measures to meet all the objectives originally put forward by the FIA for 2010 and thereafter," the FIA said in a statement.
The proposals will be put to the FIA's world motor sport council tomorrow for final approval.
Mosley and Fota emerged from a four-hour brainstorming session which has been described as "the most successful meeting on Formula One matters any of the participants can remember".
Agreement has been reached on measures to meet all the objectives originally proposed by Mosley for 2010 and beyond.
That clearly suggests at least four teams - as demanded by Mosley - have signed up to use a standardised engine, to be produced by Cosworth, for three years from 2010.
Along with a standard gearbox, the entire powertrain will cost an initial up-front payment of around €3 million, followed by a fee of almost €7 million per season over the term of the agreement.
Mosley had issued a deadline of today for teams to comply with his proposal, his edict coming in the wake of Honda's demise.
Other cost-cutting measures include a reduction in testing, along with a limit on wind-tunnel time and aerodynamic development.
The meeting has also led to Fota making proposals "relating to very significant cost savings in 2009, while maintaining Formula One at the pinnacle of motor sport and reinforcing its appeal".
The decisions made should lead to Mosley's demand of seeing teams operate on annual budgets of €30-€40 million, rather than the staggering, €300-€400 million at present.
A naturally ebullient Mosley said: "I am delighted with the outcome of this meeting."
Fota president Luca di Montezemolo added: "The unity of the teams was fundamental to meeting the goals for a new Formula One, but with the same DNA, as requested by the FIA."
Guardian Service
