Lola has withdrawn its application to enter Formula 1. The announcement follows the UK racing constructors' failure to receive a place on the initial 2010 entry list.

In a statement released on Tuesday the company said: "Lola F1 Team Ltd has today advised the FIA of the decision to withdraw its application to enter the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship.

"Significant financial investment has been made in producing its 2010 contender and the FIA had requested that the Lola F1 Team remain in a state of readiness for a possible future entry.

"Lola F1 Team has thanked the FIA for giving its application to enter the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship serious consideration."

Though Lola would not comment further on the matter, AUTOSPORT understands that owner Martin Birrane is hugely disappointed not to have received an entry given the work and effort his company had put in to proving it could be a legitmate and serious competitor.

Birrane told AUTOSPORT last weekend that the company was already well down the line with the design of its 2010 contender, but that it had needed time to absorb the news of its failure to make the initial list before making a final decision on its future.

"We've had our model in the tunnel for the last week, and we have a proper car now," said Birrane.

"We've had a lot of people working on it for seven weeks, with a lot of input from people with current experience in Formula 1."

Italian squad N.Technology has withdrawn its application to enter Formula 1 in 2010, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

N.Technology was one of several teams who were on the reserve list after not being included on the original one released last week by the FIA.

However, AUTOSPORT understands the team has decided to inform Formula 1's ruling body that it has withdrawn its application because the circumstances have changed since it applied and it no longer wants to be involved in a sport without the major manufacturers.

The move comes after the Formula One Teams' Association announced plans for a breakaway championship after failing to reach a compromise deal with the FIA.

N.Technology follows Lola in withdrawing its application this week.

Formula 1 has been thrown into chaos after eight of its major teams said they are now planning to set up a rival championship for the 2010 season.

The threat by members of the F1 Teams Association (Fota) escalates their row with world motorsport boss Max Mosley over his budget cap proposals.

"The teams have declined to alter their original conditional entries to the 2010 F1 Championship," said the teams.

"We've no alternative than to commence preparation for a new championship."

Mosley was insistent on introducing a voluntary £40m budget cap for teams to curtail a "financial arms race" in F1.


F1 breakaway would be bad - Sutil
But Fota refused to agree to his conditions, prompting championship leader Brawn GP, Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BMW Sauber, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso to take their drastic action.

They announced their decision following a four-hour meeting on Thursday night ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

"Since the formation of Fota last September the teams have worked together and sought to engage the FIA and commercial rights holder (Bernie Ecclestone), to develop and improve the sport," read a Fota statement.

"Unprecedented worldwide financial turmoil has inevitably placed great challenges before the F1 community.

"Fota is proud that it has achieved the most substantial measures to reduce costs in the history of our sport.

"In particular, the manufacturer teams have provided assistance to the independent teams, a number of which would probably not be in the sport today without the Fota initiatives.

"The Fota teams have further agreed upon a substantial voluntary cost reduction that provides a sustainable model for the future.

ANDREW BENSON'S BLOG
The underlying issue is the governance of F1 - and particularly the leadership of Max Mosley. Fota is no longer prepared to put up with the FIA having absolute power...

"Following these efforts, all the teams have confirmed to the FIA and the commercial rights holder that they are willing to commit until the end of 2012.

"The FIA and the commercial rights holder have campaigned to divide Fota.

"The wishes of the majority of the teams are ignored. Furthermore, tens of millions of dollars have been withheld from many teams by the commercial rights holder, going back as far as 2006.

"Despite this, and the uncompromising environment, Fota has genuinely sought compromise.

"It has become clear, however, the teams cannot continue to compromise on the fundamental values of the sport and have declined to alter their original conditional entries to the 2010 world championship."


Ecclestone brushes off questions
Fota added that its championship would put F1 fans first and boast the best drivers and sponsors.

"This series will have transparent governance, one set of regulations, encourage more entrants and listen to the wishes of the fans, including offering lower prices for spectators worldwide, partners and other important stakeholders," added the statement.

"The major drivers, stars, brands, sponsors, promoters and companies historically associated with the highest level of motorsport will all feature in this new series."

Former champions Williams and Force India have already committed unconditionally to the FIA's world championship along with three new entrants - Campos, US F1 and Manor.

The FIA has said there are other would-be newcomers waiting to take the places of those teams that refused to enter unconditionally, although one, Lola, has already withdrawn its application.

The stage is also set for a legal battle, with the FIA saying champions Ferrari and the two Red Bull teams have existing contracts which commit them to the existing championship.

The FIA had set a 19 June deadline for five teams - Brawn, BMW-Sauber, McLaren, Renault and Toyota - to convert their provisional entries into unconditional ones or risk being excluded.

The FIA responded to the teams' move in a statement on Friday, saying: "We are disappointed but not surprised by Fota's inability to reach a compromise in the best interests of the sport."

It claimed that "elements within Fota have sought this outcome throughout the prolonged period of negotiation and have not engaged in the discussions in good faith."

The statement added: "The deadline for unconditional entries to the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship will expire on Friday evening. The 2010 entry list will be announced on Saturday."


We have a duty to protect F1 - Horner (UK only)
BBC F1 pundit and former team boss Eddie Jordan said it might ultimately need Mosley to announce he is not seeking another term of office to resolve F1's civil war.

He told Radio 5 Live: "It's posturing, but it has become very serious, and heads will roll before this sorts itself out."

Jordan added there was "absolutely not a chance" that the sport could sustain two rival series next season.

"The FIA's lawyers have now examined the FOTA threat to begin a breakaway series. The actions of FOTA as a whole, and Ferrari in particular, amount to serious violations of law including wilful interference with contractual relations, direct breaches of Ferrari's legal obligations and a grave violation of competition law. The FIA will be issuing legal proceedings without delay."

"Preparations for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship continue but publication of the final 2010 entry list will be put on hold while the FIA asserts its legal rights."

Toyota F1 team president and FOTA vice chairman John Howett says that setting up a rival championship will not present any major problems.

FOTA has already done a lot of research into the prospect, with Flavio Briatore leading the way.

"We took the decision last night that we proceed with an alternative championship," Howett told SPEEDtv.com "There is no other position. I think in the end it’s a difficult decision, but one that was easy to reach, because we believe that it’s the right thing for the sport."

"I think there’s been quite a lot of basic groundwork looked at. It’s not insurmountable at all, quite simple I believe."

"I think it’s fairly easy. The circuits will be very happy to receive us next year. The drivers seem very committed to the basic principle to maintain a championship with the best drivers, the best cars, and hopefully more connection and more involvement of the fans, which is something we think can be improved."

Howett said it was too early to release any more information, especially on potential venues.

"I think you could probably have 20, very easily. I think it would be prudent to look at a sensible size of championship, probably similar to now. But at the moment it’s not something we want to discuss at all.

"We’ve issued this statement, we don’t want to go into the details. As soon as we have details, we will launch it. But I think you have to look. It is an extremely interesting prospect for a number of parties.

"We feel extremely happy, very relaxed, and very invigorated, because I sincerely believe that what we are doing is right thing for the future of the sport for one or two decades to come."

Max Mosley has warned the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) that if they seek to depose him from his position as President of the FIA, then 'they'd get another one, probably worse than me' – as Sir Jackie Stewart contended that the new breakaway series was 'forced upon the teams' due to 'being pushed around by the governing body in a way that is inappropriate'.
....

“These people have had enough,” Stewart is quoted as having said by The Guardian. “They don't want to be told how to spend their money. It's a bad thing to have a split, but I think that has been forced upon the teams, particularly the large multi-national corporations involved in it.
........
“It's fantasy,” the Englishman [Mosley] blasted, “and they (the teams) know it's fantasy. It's never going to happen. They're saying, 'Get rid of Max, get rid of Bernie'. Fair enough, but if they got rid of me they'd get another one, probably worse than me.”

A defiant Max Mosley has told the FIA that he now has no option but to consider standing once again as president, in light of what he sees as an 'unjustified' attack on the governing body by Formula 1 teams and manufacturers.

Ahead of what is being viewed as a key meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Wednesday, where the governing body is expected to react to plans by F1 teams to create a breakaway series, Mosley has made it clear that he will not be forced to walk away by the wishes of teams.

In a letter that Mosley sent to all FIA member clubs on Tuesday, he insisted that it was entirely up to the members of the governing body to decide if it wants him to continue to help stave off the threat posed by teams.

"Over recent weeks it has become increasingly clear that one of the objectives of the dissident teams is that I should resign as president of the FIA. Last year you offered me your confidence and, as I wrote to you on May 16, 2008, it was my intention not to seek re-election in October this year," wrote Mosley in the letter, a copy of which has been seen by AUTOSPORT.

"However, in light of the attack on the mandate you have entrusted to me, I must now reflect on whether my original decision not to stand for re-election was indeed the right one.

"It is for the FIA membership, and the FIA membership alone, to decide on its democratically elected leadership, not the motor industry and still less the individuals the industry employs to run its Formula 1 teams."

Mosley has told the member clubs that he views the breakaway plans and recent comments from the European car industry association ACEA calling for a change of governance in F1, as an assault on the FIA's authority.

"This is an attack on the FIA's right to regulate its Formula 1 World Championship but, worse, it is a wholly unjustified criticism of and direct challenge to the entire structure and purpose of the FIA," added Mosley.

"No president of the FIA could allow this to go unanswered...we are also preparing legal proceedings in case these are needed to protect the FIA's rights in its Championship and to discourage any dissident Formula 1 team from engaging in illegal acts."

Mosley has also cast doubts on whether the parent board of the manufacturers involved in the breakaway will be happy to offer financial support to a new series.

"The catalyst for the current dispute was the FIA's attempts to reduce costs in Formula 1. A reduction in costs is essential if the independent teams are to survive.

"Without the independent teams, the championship would depend entirely on the car manufacturers who, of course, have always come and gone as it suited them.

"It is extraordinary that at a time when all five manufacturers involved are in great financial difficulty and relying on taxpayers money, their Formula 1 teams should threaten a breakaway series in order to avoid reducing their Formula 1 costs.

"It remains to be seen whether the boards of the parent companies will allow precious resources to be wasted in this way."

A supposed FOTA calendar has been appearing in the media in the last few hours, including Monaco, Monza, Suzuka, Abu Dhabi and Singapore. In addition there are former F1 venues in Buenos Aires, (Argentina), Mexico City, Jerez, Imola, Montreal, Indianapolis, Magny-Cours and potentially either Adelaide or Surfers' Paradise in Australia. New venues listed are Portimao, in Portugal, a street race in Helsinki and Lausitzring in Germany. The calendar does not really sound very likely as it seems to be rather backward-looking in style. We had heard whispers that it was more likely that we would see two or even three races in the United States, which is a key market for the automobile manufacturers and has only been excluded from F1 in recent years because local promoters will not pay the fees being demanded.

Having the basis of a calendar no doubt will help to add to the impression that FOTA is serious about starting it own championship. There are now few people in F1 who do not believe the organisation to be completely serious, but nothing is likely to happen until the FIA meets in Paris tomorrow to consider its strategies for the future.

FIA president Max Mosley has said he will not stand for re-election after claiming an agreement has been reached with Formula 1 teams to avoid a breakaway series.

According to sources, Mosley, F1 rights holder Bernie Ecclestone and Formula One Teams' Association [FOTA] chairman Luca di Montezemolo held a series of meetings overnight and into this morning, prior to today's World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris, aimed at resolving the crisis.

As part of the deal, Mosley has agreed not to stand again as president of the governing body, despite earlier this week stating that he felt compelled to do so as long as the threat of a breakaway championship remained.

AUTOSPORT understands that as part of the agreement the teams must call off the breakaway series and sign up to a new Concorde Agreement until 2012.

"There will be no split," said Mosley. "We have agreed to a reduction of costs. There will be one F1 championship but the objective is to get back to the spending levels of the early 1990s within two years."

The FIA is expected to announce the official entry list for the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship later this afternoon.

The FIA has confirmed the 13 teams that will race in Formula 1 next season, after a peace deal was agreed between the governing body and the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) on Wednesday.

After breakthrough talks prior to the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris, the FIA agreed to accept FOTA's demands in a move that ends threats of a breakaway series.

The move means that all 10 current teams are now entered for next year's championship as well as Campos Meta, Manor Grand Prix and Team US F1.

The full entry list is:

TEAM
FERRARI
McLAREN MERCEDES
BMW SAUBER
RENAULT
TOYOTA
STR TBA
RBR TBA
WILLIAMS TOYOTA
FORCE INDIA MERCEDES
BRAWN TBA
CAMPOS COSWORTH
MANOR COSWORTH
TEAM US F1 COSWORTH

Mosley rethinks future over FOTA claims

By Jonathan Noble and Dieter Rencken Thursday, June 25th 2009, 20:41 GMT


Formula 1's future has been thrown into turmoil once again, with FIA president Max Mosley saying he is now keeping his future options open because of what he has called 'deliberate attempts' by teams to mislead the media.

Just 24 hours after Mosley reached a deal with FOTA to end the threat of a breakaway series, he has reacted angrily to what he calls 'false claims' made by the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) about the nature of their agreement.

In a letter that Mosley sent to FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo, which first appeared on website www.racefax.com but has now been seen by AUTOSPORT, Mosley makes it clear that he is angry at how FOTA has presented the terms of its deal.

And such is his seriousness with which he is treating the matter, that he has told FOTA that his original plan to step down as FIA president in October is no longer definite.

"Given your and FOTA's deliberate attempt to mislead the media, I now consider my options open," wrote Mosley in the letter. "At least until October, I am president of the FIA with the full authority of that office.

"After that it is the FIA member clubs, not you or FOTA, who will decide on the future leadership of the FIA."

Mosley is furious that FOTA representatives have claimed that FIA Senate president Michel Boeri is now in change of F1, that he himself was forced out of office and that he would have no role in the FIA once he steps down in October.

"We made a deal yesterday in Paris to end the recent difficulties in Formula 1," explained Mosley. "A fundamental part of this was that we would both present a positive and truthful account to the media.

"I was therefore astonished to learn that FOTA has been briefing the press that Mr Boeri has taken charge of Formula 1, something which you know is completely untrue; that I had been forced out of office, also false; and, apparently, that I would have no role in the FIA after October, something which is plain nonsense, if only because of the FIA statutes.

"Furthermore, you have suggested to the media that I was a 'dictator', an accusation which is grossly insulting to the 26 members of the World Motor Sport Council who have discussed and voted all the rules and procedures of Formula 1 since the 1980s, not to mention the representatives of the FIA's 122 countries who have democratically endorsed everything I and my World Motor Sport Council colleagues have done during the last 18 years."

The letter makes it clear that unless FOTA moves to address his complaints, then the deal that was agreed on Wednesday could collapse. The letter was sent prior to Thursday's FOTA press conference in Bologna, where Mosley had hoped an apology would be made - something which was not forthcoming.

Mosley said: "If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival, you and FOTA must immediately rectify your actions. You must correct the false statements which have been made and make no further such statements.

"You yourself must issue a suitable correction and apology at your press conference this afternoon.

"Formula 1 is run entirely by our 25-strong team without any help from me or any other outsider. There was no need for me to involve myself further in Formula 1 once we had a settlement. Equally, I had a long-standing plan not to seek re-election in October. It was therefore possible for me to confirm both points to you yesterday."