WRC team bosses slam FIA

"The most important thing is rule stability," said Provera at the official FIA pre-event press conference for Rally Australia. "So it is difficult for all of us to accept the idea that the FIA may change the current rules without a reasonable time for application."

He pointed in particular to the apparent complete change from the recently declared third driver rules to a decision to get rid of third cars completely. "We are a little bit more than two months after that and they make a 180 degree U-turn," he said. "We don't think that the lack of stability goes in the interests of world rallying."

Lapworth echoed the Italian's comments. "All the manufacturers agree that more than anything else we need stability," he said. "It's a tough time for the motor industry and the economy generally. We have a good championship, a strong championship and there is a saying that if it's not bust don't try and fix it."

The pair also felt that manufacturers had not been given enough time to come up with their own proposals. Lapworth: "There are many things we are in general agreement with but it's hard to give general answer when we have had no chance to give out details and no chance to find compromises or work with organisers. If it's so important why rush it?"

Provera feels that the input the manufacturer teams have produced has been discounted. "In spite of the fact that we ran out of time for such an important decision," he said, "we, all the manufacturers but one, signed a letter of proposal that the commission has received. In this letter we made some clever common sense suggestions to the FIA and reaction to this letter, we have just understood, was that what we said was useless."