OCTOBER 7, 2008

Mosley empowered to negotiate

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has unanimously agreed to give Max Mosley full authority to negotiate with the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) with regard to the introduction of radical measures to achieve a substantial reduction of costs in the World Championship from 2010. Failing agreement with FOTA, the FIA will enforce the necessary measures to achieve this goal. It was also agreed that Formula 1 teams will be allowed to equalise engine performance across the field for 2009, pending the introduction of cost-saving measures from 2010. This in interesting as it would seem to be a move to help the manufacturers that are not doing a very good job in F1 this year. Given that Ferrari is one of the engine manufacturers that is doing well, as witnessed by Sebastian Vettel's recent victory at Monza, this will reduce the Italian team's relative performance in relation to the likes of Renault, Honda and Toyota.

This is unlikely to go down well in Maranello - or in Woking come to that.

However it will give the FIA ammunition for when there are accusations that the federation tends to make decisions favouring Ferrari.