Formula One news

Theissen: Prepare for all possibilities

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen has reminded both Formula One governing body the FIA and commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone that FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) is in no position to hold station over plans, stressing that a breakaway championship could still be formed if no full agreement is found between the parties involved in the never-ending row.

With a meeting between the FIA and FOTA (which represents all current teams apart from Williams and Force India) having taken place at the Nürburgring on Wednesday, the gathering had been expected to finally bring a close to the ongoing row over the regulations for the 2010 World Championship, with a budget cap now abandoned but an agreement in place to reduce spending to 1990s levels.

Despite numerous discussions, the future of Formula One still hangs in the balance

A bombshell was dropped, however, when the FIA explained that - as the FOTA teams have not yet been fully submitted to next year's championship - no rule changes could take place, thus resulting in FOTA walking out of the meeting. With the FIA having since stated that FOTA was aware of this issue, threats of a breakaway series have emerged once again. "It is very simple," said BMW's Theissen. "There are still some irritating efforts which have surprised us; we still don't have an agreement, although I would say we are making progress, slowly but steadily.

"We cannot sit back and wait to see if there will be an agreement coming our way or not, so we have to keep all of options open and that means we have to look at the other course as well. We are in constant negotiations and we might come to a conclusion - as the FIA indicates - in a few days but it might take a few weeks, or we might finally find out that there is no agreement so we have to prepare for all possibilities."

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