Stoddart Disappointed by Red Bull Decision

Red Bull are poised to break ranks with other Formula One teams who plan to boycott the meeting.

Nine teams - all except champions Ferrari - agreed last week not to go to Paris to discuss the technical regulations from 2008 with FIA president Max Mosley.

The previous meeting called by the FIA in January to discuss the regulations was attended only by Ferrari, isolated by the others over their refusal to join a voluntary agreement to reduce testing.

"It is very likely that we will be attending the meeting," a spokeswoman for Red Bull Racing said on Wednesday.

Formula One is in the grip of a power struggle with major carmakers seeking control of the revenues and planning their own championship from 2008. They met with the nine teams last week to confirm a timetable for their own 'comprehensive blueprint'.

"I'd be very disappointed if Red Bull did go because the teams have made significant efforts in the last week to help Red Bull and it wouldn't be in the spirit of cooperation for one team to go when the others don't," Minardi boss Stoddart told Reuters.

Red Bull, owned by Austrian energy drinks billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, have been seeking the other teams' agreement to change the rules so that Austrian Christian Klien can drive their third car in Friday practice at Grands Prix.

Klien, who competed in the first three Grands Prix, has been stood down as a race driver to give Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi a chance to show what he can do. Because of his experience, he is ineligible for the Friday job.

The FIA informed team principals last week that the agenda for the Paris meeting had been broadened after four unidentified teams asked for current issues, including testing and the qualifying format, to be included.

However, Stoddart doubted whether four teams had made any such request and said Sauber and Jordan, two of the four so-called 'independent' teams, planned to stay away.

Ferrari are the only team to agree to an extension of the existing commercial agreement, which expires at the end of 2007, until 2012. Others, such as Red Bull, are keeping their options open.