Formula One: Mosley Warns Teams Not to Challenge Him

Max Mosley, the FIA president, dramatically raised the stakes in the battle for the control of formula one yesterday by warning the car manufacturers that they must accept the authority of the governing body or risk being thrown out of the sport.

He also warned that the BAR-Honda team might face further sanctions only a week after the FIA court of appeal excluded them from three races because of a fuel-system infringement in last month's San Marino grand prix.

Mosley's broadside came only hours after the car makers BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Honda, Renault and Toyota announced they were establishing a new group, the Engine Manufacturers' Association, to represent their interests and called for "new governing principles" from any future administration.

The EMA will replace the GPWC grouping, which previously represented the manufacturers in their attempt to gain control of the billion- dollar sport from Bernie Ecclestone. The formula one commercial rights holder has already concluded deals with Ferrari, Red Bull and Jordan to compete in the world championship for five years beyond the expiry of the Concorde agreement in 2007.

Mosley is furious that the manufacturers have cast aspersions on the independence of the FIA appeal court which, he claims, has been repeatedly recognised by the civil courts.

He has also warned BAR that the FIA is investigating statements made by the team's management after their court hearing, "in the light of the team's obligation to do nothing 'prejudicial to the image and dignity of formula one racing' or 'prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally'."

If the FIA were to decide that BAR had transgressed in this regard the team could be summoned to appear before the FIA world motor sport council next month. If the WMSC found against BAR the penalty could be extremely serious.

BAR would have the right of appeal, to be heard by the FIA International Court of Appeal. It is not clear whether this would risk triggering the suspended six-month ban which the team also received after the Imola disqualification.

"We feel the FIA ruling is too severe," Honda's spokesman Tatsuya Iida said of the appeal court hearing. "We have kept to the rules. The regulations are very ambiguous. We don't understand the punishment. We feel we didn't break any rules and the stewards agreed, so it's very sad."

Nick Fry, the BAR-Honda team principal, was not available for comment but he had earlier made it clear that no further challenge would be made to their exclusion from the Monaco grand prix.

Mosley's reaction followed the EMA's recommendation that 2.4-litre V8 engines - already implemented for introduction in 2006 - should be used until the end of 2008, beyond which the manufacatures would jointly formulate a new engine proposal.

The EMA statement continued: "Following the events of the past week in formula one, one of their objectives is to have a definitive interpretation of the applicable regulations through an independent, readily accessible and swift appeals process, administered by an internationally recognised body, in accordance with the practice of other major sports."

According to Mosley these comments implied a lack of confidence in the existing FIA appeal court and he insisted the governing body would not be dictated to in this instance.

"The manufacturers concerned came into formula one for their own reasons," the FIA statement continued. "They were not invited, they invited themselves. Each of them accepted the rules and structures of the sport as they had done on many previous occasions."