May 11 (GMM) Renault is not yet joining the threats of a 2010 entry boycott, but
team boss Flavio Briatore has made clear his opposition to a 40m pounds sterling
budget cap.
It is expected that when the May 29 deadline for 2010 team entries closes,
only Williams, Brawn and Force India will have submitted paperwork. It is
believed that all the other teams, to meet for another round of FOTA talks as
soon as this week, will shortly clarify that they are not willing to accept Max
Mosley's regulations as they stand.
Briatore, although a staunch supporter of radical cost-cutting in formula
one, told Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper that his objection is to the
opening of the door to cut-price outfits. "Whoever has 20 or 25 million euros
should not be able to operate a formula one team," said the Italian. "If we make
that possible, the brand will be worth nothing. "It would be like seeing
discount stores suddenly established on an exclusive shopping street," said
Briatore, the owner of high-end clubs and fashion stores named Billionaire.
He said the situation is serious, because big names including Toyota, BMW and
Red Bull have already threatened to quit over the situation. "Without big,
important names - and Ferrari is one of them - formula one is worth much less,"
the 59-year-old insisted. But he suggested that he is not completely opposed to
the idea of budget capping. "I could imagine that FOTA - not in 2010, but
starting from 2011 - agrees with the FIA on a minimum sum per year, that is
obligatory for all the teams," said Briatore. "A brutal solution, that is before
us at the moment, doesn't have a chance," he insisted.
