F1 Drivers Back Teams In Budget Row

The F1 drivers have voiced their support for their teams in the ongoing row over the proposed £40m budget cap for the sport being enforced by motorsport governing body the FIA.

The FIA wants strict spending limits, with technical advantages handed to teams who sign up, as it looks to attract more teams to the sport.

However the teams, through their representative body FOTA, have threatened to walk away from F1 and set up a breakaway series of the budget cap is enforced for 2010 – a position that has now been backed by the drivers following a meeting with team principals.
 
Toyota’s Jarno Trulli said: ‘I know that in the next week something should budge, must move, otherwise there will inevitably be a split.’

Renault’s two-time champion Fernando Alonso added: ‘I prefer to race in any other category before the new F1.

‘If the manufacturers cannot sign up for F1 and they organise a parallel championship, that would be the most interesting. Then you would see the technology and the fastest cars in the world and, in the end, that’s where the drivers want to be.’

Fota now excludes Williams and Force India after the teams broke ranks and submitted unconditional entries to sign up through to 2012.

FIA president Max Mosley is determined to cut costs and attract fresh blood, with 11 prospective new entrants submitting bids to compete under a £40m budget cap.