Stefano Domenicali says that the entry of the nine FOTA teams into the 2010 F1 season is conditional on the budget cap being scrapped.
Domenicali insists that teams have not agreed to budget cap
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali insists that his team will still refuse to adopt Formula One's controversial budget cap, despite entering his cars for the 2010 world championship.
The Maranello-based team had threatened to pull out of the sport if the FIA successfully enforced their planned budget cap at the start of next season.
Many other teams took a similar stance but all the current grand prix outfits submitted their entry for the 2010 season by the deadline on May 29.
However, the 44-year-old Italian says that entry of Ferrari and the rest of the FOTA teams is conditional on the signing of a new Concorde Agreement and a tweaked version of this year's regulations being adopted in 2010.
"It's very simple," Domenicali said.
Principles
"The nine teams - Williams membership having been suspended - that currently make up FOTA, have put in entries for the 2010 Championship that will only be valid if the Concorde Agreement is signed and if the regulations will be those currently in use, but modified as per FOTA's suggestions.
"The action taken (on Friday) is completely in keeping with Ferrari's principles, as stated at the Main Board meeting on 12 May and with those of FOTA."
Domenicali was quick to deny suggestions that the Formula One Teams' Association had gone back on their initial stance and agreed to the FIA's proposed budget cap.
"Absolutely not. The request to make the 2009 regulations the starting point means there will be no budget cap," he added.
Objectives
"The FIA wants to significantly reduce costs with two objectives: to stop any more existing teams from quitting the sport and to allow for the eventual entry of new teams.
"Both these targets can be met: costs will be considerably reduced and, at the same time, there will be considerable efforts made by the current competitors in Formula One to stay in the sport.
"If this happens, and I really hope it does, I would prefer to say that Formula One is the winner: it will have kept its main characteristics of technological and sporting competition, it will have been assured of stability in the regulations and the long term commitment of the participants.
"This is what FOTA has always wanted: to work alongside the FIA and the Commercial Rights Holder for a healthy and prosperous Formula One."
