MANAMA // Three of the most influential figures in Formula One sat alongside each other in Bahrain yesterday to present a united front in the bid save their sport from the escalating problems presented by the global financial crisis. Stefano Domenicali, the figurehead of Ferrari, Flavio Briatore, the managing director of Renault, and Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, who took centre stage in light of his drivers' stunning one-two in last week's Chinese Grand Prix, delivered a warning that racing rivals must work together or face calamitous consequences.
All three expressed support in principle for the proposal to introduce a budget cap of £30million (Dh163m), excluding drivers' salaries, but all three spoke of the complications of reaching agreement on cost cutting. "We were looking for a unanimous agreement, because I think it was a process we wanted to do together," said Briatore. "The three teams you see here were really pushing for a very aggressive reduction of costs and some teams that are not here today were not part of the unanimous agreement.
Domenicali, who hinted that a cost-cutting arrangement would not be to the advantage of his traditionally big-spending team, commented: "The difficulties on that is that starting from the fact that all the teams have different structures. "They have all made different investment in the past and to find unanimity when you have to reconsider the strategic decisions that you have previously made is not always easy."
Horton added: "You have to end with a compromise position to accommodate everybody. For example, it doesn't save us, it costs us money to meet the lines. I think FOTA [Formula One Teams Association] is going to need to be more aggressive in that area." @Email:wjohnson@thenational.ae
