Ferrari hopes top court rules in its favor

Agence France-Presse

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Representatives of world motor sport's governing body, the FIA, will appear alongside Ferrari here at the 'Tribunal de Grande Instance' - whose equivalent in England would be a Crown Court and which is presided over by three judges.

As a response to the global financial downturn FIA wants a 40 million pounds budget cap for each team.

Ferrari is one of four teams who have threatened to withdraw at the end of this season unless fundamental revisions are made to the new regulations. It fears it would create a two-tier world championship.

Emmanuel Gaillard, one of Ferrari's lawyers, said Ferrari had no choice in seeking the injunction because the FIA is demanding teams to register for next season between May 22 and 29 runs - which Ferrari claims runs contrary to earlier pledges made by the FIA.

"Teams have to register (for next season) between May 22 and 29, and must therefore accept the new regulations. Yet, this rule runs totally contrary to the pledges that have been made to Ferrari in the past. It leaves us with no choice," Gaillard told AFP.

FIA president Max Mosley revealed Ferrari intentions to request an injunction last Friday following a meeting in London designed to try and find a solution to the impasse.

A decision today in favor of Ferrari could be disastrous for the FIA which, thanks to the new regulations, is already attracting interest from several smaller teams (Lola, USF1, Prodrive) keen on joining the championship. A decision in favor of the FIA, however, could lead to some of Formula's big guns carrying out threats to leave the sport.