Briatore: Budget cap decision a shock

FOTA believes its proposals will halve Formula 1 teams' costs by 2010, but the FIA felt more drastic action had to be taken, and will next year allow teams willing to stick to a £30 million budget cap to have greater technical freedom than squads spending unlimited amounts. Measures will be taken to equalise performance between the capped and uncapped teams.

Briatore echoed FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo's concern at the FIA's decision.

"With this we really need to sit down together and understand it, because the teams have already done a big job to reduce the costs," Briatore told the BBC.

"Formula 1 is very complicated. Sometimes you try to reduce the costs and instead the costs go up. We need stability, we need to be working with the federation together.

"It was a bit of a shock. I believe all the parties need to be working together to achieve a target.

"The financial crisis makes everyone worried and we need Formula 1 to be more efficient but sometimes we are not happy with the sentences that are imposed.

"I believe the teams have already done an incredible job for 2009 and 2010, and now we're ready to go further but we need to continue working together with the federation."

The Italian is troubled by the possibility of teams running to different rules under the proposed system.

"I think Formula 1 needs to have the same rules for everyone, and after that we'll discuss the budgets," Briatore said.

"The principle for me is that all the cars need to be (built to) the same (rules)."

He emphasised that he fully agreed that F1 costs had to be reduced, but felt the FIA had been impatient.

"There was a bubble in every area, including Formula 1 as well," said Briatore. "People needed to come back to a basic point, keep their feet on the floor, and make Formula 1 more efficient, absolutely.

"But already the teams have done a lot for 2009 and 2010, and what we need is another big step for 2011 and 2012.

"It's not possible to change the world in one week."

The FIA also rejected FOTA's proposed new points system in favour of awarding the title to the driver with most race wins, but Briatore supported this change.

"I don't have any problem," he said. "I think it's extra motivation for the driver to do their best, which is winning."