Formula One can survive without Ferrari

Formula One could live without Ferrari if they were to walk away in protest at the introduction of a budget cap,according to International Automobile Federation FIA president Max Mosley. In an interview published in Saturdays Financial Times,Mosley said he was locked in a power struggle that he intended to win.

He made clear that he would not be backing down over allowing teams to compete with a voluntary 40 million pound cap in 2010 in exchange for greater technical freedom than others remaining with unrestricted budgets. The move has been welcomed by potential new entries as well as independent teams pitted against big-spending manufacturers. However,Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo wrote to Mosley this week warning against creating a two-tier Formula One that could be fundamentally unfair and perhaps even biased. Montezemolo has also warned that Ferraris continued presence should not be taken for granted.

I personally have a lot of passion and Ferrari has a lot of passion,but this is not a never-ending story, the official Formula One website quoted him as saying.

The glamour team have been in Formula One since the first championship race in 1950 and have long been seen as the jewels in the crown. The sport could survive without Ferrari, said Mosley,adding: It would be very,very sad to lose Ferrari. It is the Italian national team.

Mosley said there were elements among existing teams who felt that the teams should be running Formula One rather than the FIA or Bernie Ecclestone. The last thing they want is new teams that dilute what theyve got, added the Briton,who has expanded the starting grid to allow for three new cost-capped teams next year. There is that going on in the background. There is an element of who is running F1. Id like to make sure its me.