Not over yet for GPWC

The teams may be backing the FIA proposals for 2008, at least in principle, but the Grand Prix World Championship (GPWC) group is still operational and waiting for a final decision on the regulation changes. FIA president Max Mosley appears to think the threat of a breakaway series has been eliminated with the new proposals, but the GPWC is standing its ground.

"The GPWC remains united and, while we note the proposals from SLEC to improve the distribution of income from the sport to the teams, the other key objectives that we laid out remain outstanding," it said in a statement from the group.

Meanwhile, Ferrari boss Jean Todt is dubious that any changes will go ahead without more disagreements. "You can only change something if you have unanimous agreement among the teams, and I'm not sure it will be easy," he commented.

Cutting costs is the main item on the agenda: "You need to analyse each single thing very carefully and to bear in mind that the first intention of what we agreed is to reduce cost and to improve the show," added Todt. "We must make sure that any changes make it go in this direction, because otherwise you don't achieve what you want."

Decisions on the proposals are due to be presented to the World Motor Sport Council at the end of June and Bernie Ecclestone thinks there will be yet more meetings before that happens.

"In general the teams nod, which would seem to be approving things," he said in Barcelona. "They'll go away and think about it and talk to the people inside the company. They have a re-think and then we need another discussion."