Jun.17 (GMM) F1's crisis is creeping awkwardly towards a compromise, after the FOTA rebels wrote to FIA president Max Mosley on Tuesday.
As already reported, the eight teams said they would agree to a budget cap - now called "resource restriction" - if it could be policed by a group of independent accountants."We have already offered to accept the report of a reputable auditor backed up by the signature of a main company board member," Mosley replied by letter on Wednesday.He added, however, that a "fundamental problem" with FOTA's proposal is the "absence of a clear figure". Mosley has previously indicated that he would agree to a 100m euro cap in 2010, reducing to 45m in 2011.FOTA asked that Friday's deadline for making their 2010 entries unconditional be extended until July 1, but Mosley declined, arguing that the "remaining applicants" for places on the 2010 grid need to be informed "no later than Friday".He also turned down FOTA's request for governance provisions changes in a renewed version of the 1998 Concorde Agreement, insisting that there is "not time left" for the necessary lengthy negotiations.Mosley advised the teams to simply agree to extend the 1998 Concorde and then "we can negotiate a new 2009 Concorde Agreement under the protection of the 1998 arrangements".FOTA said the teams want a judge's seat at the International Court of Appeal, but Mosley said this would require a change in the FIA Statutes."There are elements in your proposals which we may be able to agree to, but we need time to look at them," he wrote.The teams also said Cosworth should not be allowed to run with a higher rev limit next year, but Mosley responded that the British firm has "neither the time nor the resources to retune for 2010".In short, Mosley remains firm that the teams need to make their 2010 entries unconditional by Friday."We propose that you accept the 2010 rules, as published ... If necessary, these can be revised within the above governance procedures in due course," he said.
