Formula One news

Budget cap: Decision time looms

Friday's Heathrow airport meeting will see the next step of the controversial situation involving Formula One's 2010 budget cap and the possibility of a 'two-tier' championship. With quit threats from five teams ongoing as a result of the proposal, FOTA, Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone will meet to discuss possible solutions to the issue.

The budget cap, first suggested by the FIA's Mosley, would give teams the option of running in next year's championship with a spending limit of £40m whilst enjoying a reward of more technical freedom in the designs of their cars. On the other hand, others may wish to continue with an unlimited limit whilst following 2009-like, less adventurous technical rules; it is this possibility of a sport including two different sets of regulations, however, which Toyota, Red Bull, Renault and Ferrari have all suggested would force them to leave F1 at the end of this year.

FOTA's main representative of the meeting will be Luca di Montezemolo, president both of the organization - which represents all current teams - and of the Ferrari group. Possible solutions may include the teams and governing body meeting at a half way point, such as an £80m cap, rather than abandoning the scheme completely and thus jeopardizing the chances of entry for three smaller outfits next year.

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