Formula One plunged deeper into crisis on Friday with Ferrari taking legal action in France to try and prevent the governing body from pressing ahead with plans for a budget cap in 2010. International Automobile Federation (FIA) President Max Mosley, taking a hard-line stance, told reporters after a two-hour meeting with the teams at a Heathrow airport hotel that there had been no compromise on the controversial regulations. Champion Ferrari, the sport's most successful and glamorous team, has said it will bring down the curtain on 60 years of involvement in Formula One if the published rules are not re-written. Mosley doubted it would quit but said the sport would survive if it did, drawing a parallel with the 1994 death of triple champion Ayrton Senna. “The idea that they are indispensable is nonsense,” said the Briton. “It's a little bit like poor Senna. He was the most important driver in 1994 but when he very sadly got killed Formula One went on. “Lotus were very important once, so were Brabham.” Mosley said there could be no flexibility on a May 29 deadline for entries for next year's championship, warning also that there was a significant number of serious would-be competitors eager to come in. Despite that, he said the governing body wanted all the teams to race under the same regulations and they had “gone off to reconsider” their position and see if they could agree an acceptable alternative. The FIA head played down talk of a crisis, saying there was plenty of time yet, but the Ferrari legal action had complicated matters. Mosley said the FIA would appeal if the court ruled in Ferrari's favor. Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo did not attend Friday's meeting after the death of his father on Thursday and the champion was represented instead by team boss Stefano Domenicali. The FIA wants an optional 40 million pounds ($60.82 million) cost cap, offering greater technical freedom than available to those teams staying on unrestricted budgets, that they say is needed for the sport's survival in the face of the global financial crisis. Ferrari, and former champion Renault, says that will lead to a two-tier championship that it cannot accept. Toyota and Red Bull's two teams have echoed that position.
