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Parr: Williams not trying to split FOTA

Williams CEO Adam Parr says the British squad is not trying to split up the teams with its decision to submit its entry for the 2010 championship

The team became the first to confirm its present in next year's championship, a decision that caused the Formula One Teams' Association to suspend Williams from the organisation.

FOTA is still at loggerheads with the FIA over the 2010 regulations, and the teams' body wrote to president Max Mosley on Sunday night saying they remained united.

On Monday, however, Williams confirmed it had submitted its entry for next season, but Parr made it clear that the decision had nothing to do with a hidden agenda to destabilise FOTA.

"One thing I would like to make clear is that there is no agenda on the part of Williams," Parr told the Telegraph. "We are not trying to split the teams. We are not even trying to dissuade them.

"As a team we have a certain philosophy and this is an inevitable and necessary development. It may well be that other teams have a different view. I completely respect that.

"We feel there is a huge chance to resolve this and very much hope that all the existing teams, plus one or two new ones, will be on the grid with us next year."

Parr added that the other members of FOTA has not expressed hard feelings against Williams.

"If there are bad feelings, they certainly haven't been expressed to us. I see it more as a pragmatic measure," he added.

"If the majority of the teams want to go in a certain direction and among the minority there is a team that wants something different, then FOTA would be weakened by the continued membership of that party. I accept that."

FOTA met in London on Wednesday as it continues working in trying to reach a deal with the FIA.

Parr said the organisation also discussed Williams's continued participation in the group.

"Frank [Williams] and I were both there," Parr said. "The first item on the agenda was our continued participation in FOTA. We clarified our reasons for doing what we did on Monday and we then offered to leave the room.

"After a while we were called back in and told, in a very polite and non-confrontational manner, that while negotiations with the governing body continued it would be better if we were not part of the discussions."

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