Formula One news

Force India submits 2010 entry against FOTA wishes

The Force India team has become the second to break Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) ranks and submit an entry to the 2010 World Championship. The Silverstone-based team, headed by Vijay Mallya, has put forward an unconditional entry that will not be declared invalid in the event of the FIA budget cap remaining in place.

Vijay Mallya, Kingfisher owner and boss of the Force India team

With the association remaining firmly against the €45m cap, Williams has already been suspended from FOTA as a result of putting entry forward early after claiming that it was legally bound to do so. With Force India now having taken the same action, the FIA's list of potential candidates for next year grows by one. The team has released a statement, however, claiming that its decision does not reflect a disagreement with FOTA.

It reads: 'While the Force India team is broadly in agreement with the FOTA objectives, commercial obligations have demanded that Force India review its conditional entry jointly submitted by FOTA on deadline day (last Friday, 29 May). This has been done today with full transparency between all parties. The details of the team's position will be discussed between Dr.Vijay Mallya and FOTA vice chairman John Howett tomorrow. No further comment will be made until those discussions have taken place.'

Toyota's John Howett, vice chairman of FOTA

Howett has admitted that the team could face the same sanction as Williams. "It is likely they may be suspended," he said. "I haven't really had the opportunity to speak to Vijay directly, but he has committed in accordance with FOTA a conditional entry and apparently, due to commercial issues - totally unrelated to another team or support - they felt obliged because of other binding legal activities that, due to funding or other issues, they needed to submit an official entry.

"He will be here tomorrow and I will speak to him; I have to say it is the intention of FOTA to suspend them based on a face-to-face discussion with Vijay, but he has confirmed to me through Bob Fearnley that he is totally supportive and committed to FOTA."

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