Briatore, Todt want less technology in F1

"I would say that Formula One, in my opinion, does not need as its first priority technical challenge," Ferrari's Jean Todt told a Monaco Grand Prix news conference.

"It needs show, it needs people fighting on the track. And very often, with the more technology you have, the less opportunity you give to the drivers to fight on the track."

Flavio Briatore suggested that those teams calling for more technology were those who had delivered least.

"Everybody talks about technology and fighting for technology but it's the people who have never won a race, or it's a team that won a race eight or nine years ago," he said.

"If somebody needs to talk about technology, then it is Renault and Ferrari... I believe like Jean says that we need real racing. What we need is overtaking, we need people enthusiastic to watch Formula One."

Formula One's next big battle is over the technical regulations for 2008 now that peace has broken out between the major carmakers and the commercial rights holders over the division of revenues after years of debate.

Some manufacturers are eager for the sport to remain the pinnacle of motor racing through cutting-edge technology, while others and the governing body are adamant that costs must be slashed to ensure smaller teams can compete and survive.

Todt and Briatore said they were happy with the FIA's proposed technical rules for 2008, the first season after the expiry of the current commercial agreement.

"We don't need to negotiate any more because already we have seen how long it takes to negotiate a commercial deal," said Briatore.

"Three years ago we had a better deal. Now we have signed a worse deal and it has taken six years to put this together."