Ferrari’s appeal to salary cap thrown out

Agence France-Presse

refid:11691512 ilişkili resim dosyası

The Italian team, as well as Toyota, Red Bull and Renault, were trying through the French legal system to seek an injunction against the new regulations of the Paris-based FIA which runs Formula One racing.

They have threatened to quit F1 unless the 2010 rules, which include a 40 million pounds (44.8 million euros) budget cap on each team, are shelved fearing the changes could usher in a two-tier championship.

The French court, however, refused to grant the injunction to Ferrari with Judge Jacques Gondran de Robert ruling that Ferrari had failed to use a veto against the new rules at meetings of FIA World Motor Sport Council in March and April when the matter was discussed.

"There is no imminent damage that needs to be prevented or clearly unlawful unrest that needs to be stopped," the judge said. Ferrari did vote against the new rules at these meetings but did not go as far as issuing a veto, which was its right.

If the court had found in favor of Ferrari it would have been a major blow for F1's governing body, which is intent on lowering the costs in a bid to attract new teams like Lola and Aston Martin.

Last week FIA president Max Mosley and F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone met team bosses at a Heathrow Airport hotel in London to discuss the crisis. At the end of the talks no solution was agreed, with teams leaving to discuss alternatives.

Ferrari lawyers, Emmanuel Gaillard and Henri Peter, said F1 was in danger of becoming a two-tier championship if budget caps were applied and that, with 700 employees worldwide, Ferrari is unable to reduce its budget significantly in such a short time.