12-May-09: Ferrari Won’t Sign Up to Two-Tier Championship

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This is F1 Minute for the 12th May 2009.

Naturally the news of the day is that Ferrari have joined the ranks against the budget cap and said they won’t sign up to the 2010 season if nothing changes. This is hideously being reported as Ferrari sensationally quitting F1, but their more rational comments were: “The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula 1 in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari’s uninterrupted participation in the world championship over the last 60 years – the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception – would come to a close.”

It seems unlikely that the powers that be would allow this to happen, so we’ll await the next step with interest.

On a completely different note, Bernie Ecclestone has said that if Donington Park isn’t ready to host the British GP next year, then he’ll be happy for the race to sit out a season, rather than lose it altogether. Thanks Bernie.

That’s it for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.