Formula One's drivers have declared their support for the ‘rebel' teams and backed their threats of creating a breakaway series if they cannot resolve the sport's current crisis. After a meeting with the teams on Sunday, drivers' spokesman Italian veteran Jarno Trulli said that if there was no settlement before Friday, the drivers were ready for a split in the sport. “And if that happens, I think we drivers all understand very well which is the right side for us to be on - we are staying with the teams,” he said. “But at the moment, we have to wait and see. FOTA wants to reach a solution with the FIA. In the next week, something should budge - if not, there will be a split.” The Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) held a brief 30 minutes meeting with the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) in the Istanbul Park circuit paddock on Sunday morning. Drivers and team bosses from the eight rebel teams met at the Toyota team motor home. Afterwards, Italian veteran driver Jarno Trulli of Toyota said the drivers, in general, were upset at the scale of the crisis and the way in which the drivers have not been consulted but left on the outside, looking in. Trulli said: “All the drivers have the same feeling: to follow FOTA and respect above all the work they are doing on the coming rules and the running of Formula 1 in a serious way for the future. “We were called today to be kept informed because of the rules not being clear and, being one of the few things that we have read, do not work and needed to be talked about from our part for reasons of safety.” Trulli said the whole crisis had left the drivers concerned about their futures and added that they did not have faith in the budget-cap proposals put forward by the sport's ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA). “(FIA president Max) Mosley must understand that there are some things that cannot happen,” he said. “The rules for 2010 are absolutely not good - because Formula One must remain the number one sport in the world, with great technology and with the manufacturers. “You can't try and bring in other teams that maybe have never had any idea about what it takes to compete with the cars and in a championship of such a high level. Above all, with the rules, we are completely out.” Lotus eyes return The famous Lotus name could return to Formula One in 2010 following a 15-year absence, after a proposed entrant secured permission to use the iconic brand. Formula Three team Litespeed said Sunday that it had secured a deal with current Lotus owner David Hunt to use the name if its entry for next season's F1 championship is accepted. “Team Lotus is synonymous with great British engineering and F1 innovation,” team principal Nino Judge said “which easily demonstrate why ex-Lotus personnel would want to bring this championship-winning name back to the formula.” Litespeed said former Lotus driver Johnny Herbert would also be involved in the team. Lotus competed in 491 Grands Prix between 1958 and 1994, winning seven constructors' titles. Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti all won drivers' titles for the British team. On Friday, governing body FIA will announce the list of the 13 teams who will race in 2010. Other famous old names such as Brabham, Lola and March are also vying for entry, along with the United States-based USF1.
