FIA open to talks but say teams must enter

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON (Reuters) - Formula One's governing body stuck to its guns on Wednesday after teams made a last-ditch attempt to resolve a crisis that threatens to tear the sport apart.

International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley said in a letter to the eight members of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) that there could be no extension to a Friday deadline for them to enter the 2010 championship unconditionally.

However, he added that if they accepted the controversial 2010 rules as published -- including a budget cap -- the measures could be revised "in due course".

FOTA, whose members have threatened to walk away and set up a rival series, had written to Mosley and Formula One's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone on Tuesday seeking to break the deadlock after weeks of argument.

"The time has come when, in the interests of the sport, we must all seek to compromise and bring an urgent conclusion to the protracted debate regarding the 2010 world championship," they said.

A copy was seen by Reuters and later published, along with Mosley's response, on the FIA website (www.fia.com).

The FOTA letter said all members were willing to commit to the sport until the end of 2012 and called for the Friday deadline to be extended to July 1 to allow for further talks and the signing of a new confidential Concorde Agreement.

"Now is the time to find a reasonable and rapid solution to the outstanding issues," it added.