FIA: Cap to lead to clever engineering

Fan surveys have always indicated that one of the main attractions for F1 is the fact that the cars are technically advanced - something that may not happen when budget caps are introduced.

But Mosley believes the £30 million budget limit that teams can sign up for 2010 will not detract from one of the sport's core attractions.

"Keith Duckworth once said 'an engineer is someone who can do for one dollar what any idiot can do for a hundred dollars'," explained Mosley. "These rules will encourage clever engineering - success will come to the teams with the best ideas, not only the teams with the most money."

Mosley said that with the FIA planning to equalize performance between those teams who opt for a budget cap and those who do not, there was every chance of surprise results on track.

"There is no reason why cost-capped teams could not win races," he said. "The massive and highly organised unlimited-expenditure teams are perhaps likely to do a better job of going racing. They will have the most expensive race engineers and tacticians not to mention the top-earning drivers. However, racing is (and should be) unpredictable."

And although the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) has made grand claims about bringing budgets down by 50 per cent, Mosley felt that there was no option but to offer the budget cap.

"We cannot wait, because new teams wishing to enter the 2010 Championship will need to start work immediately," he said. "FOTA have already given us their main ideas, we understand that the outstanding matters are more minor.

"Also, provided they comply with all relevant laws, rules and regulations and observe the spirit of sporting competition, there is nothing to stop some FOTA members agreeing among themselves to observe certain rules or conventions provided these do not affect anyone else."

Mosley said the FIA will look into expanding the grid beyond the current 12 team slots, pending approval by the FIA Safety Commission.

New cost-capped teams will also be fully eligible for the drivers' and Constructors' Championships, and are expected to receive television rights payments from Formula One Management.

"We understand that FOM will pay the cost-capped teams on the same basis as other teams and will also provide $10 million plus the standard transport package for the 11th and 12th teams starting in 2010," said Mosley.