Cost cuts meeting will go ahead

The teams wrote a letter to Mosley following their own meeting with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone at Heathrow on Tuesday asking for the meeting to be postponed until the start of the European season, so they had more time to analyse the impact of new rules due to be introduced this year.

But their calls appear to have fallen on deaf ears, with the FIA understood to be adamant that the sport presses ahead and introduces cost-cutting measures. Any move to delay the meeting until April would only serve to make the confirmation of any agreed rule changes for 2006 come much later in the year - leading to a knock-on increase in costs for those teams forced to make the necessary changes.

An FIA spokesman said: "The meeting will go ahead. Our objective is to ensure that all the teams have an opportunity to express their opinions, in addition to the four teams who have so far submitted their proposals."

The submission of proposals relates to a series of cost-cutting measures that Mosley wants to the teams to discuss. This was forwarded to teams last week in the wake of responses from BAR, Ferrari, Renault and Williams for ideas to help the sport after a request for input by Mosley in December.

Mosley's proposals includes strict testing limits, standard ECUs, a restricted use of telemetry, standard brakes, extended engine life, rev limits for engine, a major reduction in downforce, a return to slick tyres and the banning of spare cars with grand prix weekends being reduced to two days.

In the letter to Mosley, the teams wrote: "Whilst we share your desire to reduce the cost of participating in Formula 1, it is critical that the fundamental values of Formula 1 are preserved to safeguard its long-term stability and success as the pinnacle of world motor sport.

"Cost-cutting proposals should be evaluated in the wider context of the sport's appeal to its fans...in the meanwhile, we all fully recognise the need for a period of stability in our sport and we will adhere strictly to the spirit and letter of the 'Concorde Agreement' for the remainder of its term and we trust that the FIA will do likewise."