Mosley offers hope for British GP

Max Mosley, the president of the FIA, has supported the suggestion that Silverstone could host a non-championship formula one race if it cannot agree terms with Bernie Ecclestone for a world championship grand prix next year.

"They could run a non-championship event for formula one cars," he said, "and I think most of the British teams would go and, for a modest amount, they would probably get the continental teams such as Ferrari. They could run two, or even three, days of formula one practice which would effectively be free test days for the teams and then they would have the race on the Sunday.

"If they asked for that we wouldn't refuse it because they've got the rights to do it. It could also be called the British grand prix because that title is owned by the RAC MSA [Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association, the governing body in Great Britain] if they gave permission. The teams could run three cars if they wanted to. I'm just a distinterested observer watching this all going on, but they could certainly stage such a race."

Mosley was speaking prior to the Brazilian grand prix where Ferrari were at the centre of controversy after failing to sign up for a raft of proposed cost-cutting changes which could be introduced for 2005 if the decision was unanimous.

The teams agreed that if a limit on tyre testing was reduced to 10 days away from the races during the course of the season and a standard "control" tyre adopted by all the teams, sufficient savings could be implemented to trigger the teams' agreement to an 18th and 19th race on the 2005 schedule, thereby allowing the French and British grands prix to be run at a commercially realistic rate for their promoters. However, Ferrari blocked the changes because they felt they should be part of a much wider programme of cost reduction which also takes into account a more equitable distribution of the formula one commercial rights income with Ecclestone.

Nevertheless it was significant that Peter Sauber, whose team uses Ferrari engines, chose to support the new proposal. "I personally have a very good relationship with Jean Todt [the Ferrari sporting director]," said Sauber. "Therefore you can imagine how difficult it was for me to sign the cost savings initiative which was launched yesterday. [But] it is important for me to clarify that my signature by no means indicates any form of action against Ferrari."