May 24 (GMM) As night fell in Monaco and teams packed up after Sunday’s grand prix, the politics kept racing ahead
FIA president Max Mosley had been highly visible in the paddock, telling reporters that a compromise was near
But at the same time, a letter signed by every team principal was making its way to the 69-year-old Briton, and its command was clear: tear up the proposed 2010 rules or no FOTA member will meet Friday’s deadline for team entries
Earlier, it was suggested that independent teams including McLaren, Williams, Brawn and Force India had informed their colleagues in the Renault motor home meeting that they would indeed be lodging paperwork on time for next year’s world championship
FOTA’s position, according to speculation, is complicated: off the agenda is an official budget cap, due mainly to many teams’ objections to being audited on a regular and intrusive basis by the FIA
Instead, it is believed they are promising substantial cost limitations beginning next year, to be self-policed
Small and new teams, meanwhile, will be offered low-cost engines and drivetrains, and the carmakers may also be willing to assist them in other ways, such as the sharing of technical information
It is also suggested that, as part of the satisfactory resolution of the dispute, the existing teams are willing to contractually commit to F1 until the end of 2012
To reporters after Monaco’s 78-lap race, Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali confirmed the existence of the letter to Mosley
“What we have asked is to go back to the rules of this year and then see together what we can do in order to make changes for next year,” said the Italian
In FOTA’s view, the immediate revocation of the 2010 rules is necessary, because signing up by Friday’s deadline means accepting the published rules, including the ‘two-tier’ element and voluntary 40m pounds sterling cap
