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Max throws oil on the fire

FIA president Max Mosley added to the row between himself and FOTA teams on Friday. Talking to the BBC, Mosley called FOTA team principles "loonies" for not agreeing with FIA's terms and reaching a compromise. Mosley, aiming at Renault's Flavio Briatore in particular, told in no uncertain terms that the FIA will not concede any ground.

"Some teams want to take over the financial side from Bernie [Ecclestone] and like to run all of F1," says Mosley." The money is Bernie's side and the regulations are FIA's side and we've run it for sixty years. That's how it stays."

Mosley is frustrated at the lack of progress in the discussions, claiming that some FOTA members are intentionally trying to block an agreement on a budget cap.

"We have made concession after concession to try and accomodate them and they keep saying no. We have had meetings with Red Bull, Brawn, Ferrari and Toyota. The others are what we call loonies."

Even though the FIA president's remarks don't seem to help any of the discussions move forward, Mosley claims his position is not at stake.

"I would be prepared to leave in the interest of motorsports, but that's not the issue here," Mosley continues. "The issue is that they [FOTA] want to take over Formula 1 from the FIA and Bernie. This is about power, we are obstacles to them. Flavio Briatore fancies himself as a Bernie. He is fully entitled to that view, but I think Bernie would feel if he wants my business, or CVC's business, then he should come and buy it, he can't just take it."

Responding to BBC's question whether Briatore was one of the loonies, Mosley answered: "He's associated with them..."

Mosley continued taking stabs at FOTA, expressing his disbelief at a successful breakaway series. "A FOTA series would be virtually impossible, because they find it very difficult to agree about anything. They could have agreed about the double diffuser and KERS, but they didnt."

The FIA president then repeated his organisation's intention of going to the court. "The next step we're going to take is legal proceedings. Against Ferrari and against FOTA."

Following Mosley's remarks, a quick solution on the matter seems further away than ever. Bernie Ecclestone, considered by many to be the only man able to fix the situation, is staying on the background for now but is confident that an agreement will be reached.

(fc)

Written: Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:25:27