• FIA accuses Fota of 'serious violations of law'
• Publication of entry list for 2010 championship put on hold
The FIA has confirmed it is to issue legal proceedings against the Formula One Teams' Association following their threat to begin a breakaway series.
The eight members of Fota - Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, BMW Sauber, Toyota, Brawn GP, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso - announced last night they would not sign up to next year's F1 world championship, and would instead pursue a rival series.
Following meetings between the FIA president Max Mosley and the F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the Silverstone paddock today ahead of Sunday's British grand prix, motor sport's world governing body has now decided legal action is their only recourse.
Confirming their intentions, a statement read: "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."
The Fota statement, released last night, read: "Since the formation of Fota last September the teams have worked together and sought to engage the FIA and the commercial rights holder [Ecclestone], to develop and improve the sport. Unprecedented worldwide financial turmoil has inevitably placed great challenges before the ormula one community. Fota are proud they have achieved the most substantial measures to reduce costs in the history of our sport.
"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."
The delay in confirming the entry list for next season will be welcomed by those who still hope a compromise deal can be brokered, although the FIA's reference to Ferrari in their statement only serves to highlight the complex nature of the rift.
As far as the FIA are concerned, Ferrari, plus Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, are contracted to enter F1 in 2010, hence the reason they were given an automatic entry by motor sport's world governing body last Friday.
Ferrari have long maintained, however, that contract, signed in 2005, was invalidated by the FIA when they failed to recognise the Scuderia's right of veto over the new regulations.
Mosley unilaterally announced the introduction of a voluntary £40m budget cap at the end of April without consulting the teams, most notably Ferrari, who have since played a leading role in Fota's discussions with the governing body.
Mosley's handling of the situation has given way to barbed criticism, most notably from the three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart. The FIA president is due to confirm by the end of this month whether or not he intends to stand for a fifth term in office, with his present mandate due to end in October, but Stewart has demanded the 69-year-old stand down in the past and believes the blame for this latest crisis lies at Mosley's door.
"When you're talking about Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota, Ferrari and Renault, these are big companies that feel they are being pushed around by the governing body in a way that is inappropriate," said Stewart. "I think they do want Max to go because I think frankly some of the decisions made over the years have been very questionable, and a lot of people are kind of fed up with the dictatorial attitude.
"The trouble is Max has gone too far with this. It may well be that Max Mosley has to go. He has a great position of power, but big trees do blow over."
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