Planet-F1

Fry calls for unity

Friday 10th October 2008

Honda team boss Nick Fry believes it is crucial for all Formula One teams to stick together in a bid to come through the financial crisis that threatens the existence of the sport.

FIA President Max Mosley warned earlier this week Formula One may only survive for one more year if spiralling costs are not brought under control.

The Super Aguri team fell victim to a lack of funds earlier this year when they dropped out of this season's championship after the Spanish Grand Prix and Mosley issued a stark warning more teams may suffer a similar fate.

Teams will meet with Mosley after the Chinese Grand Prix to discuss a solution to curb operating costs throughout the season.

And Fry is confident all teams will survive if they work together through the difficult times.

"We need to work together as 10 teams to make sure we stick together, work together and survive," he said at the Japanese Grand Prix.

"We have got a fantastically successful series, we have just come off the back of arguably one of the best weekends (in Singapore) and we need to preserve that.

"Certainly Honda has done rather better or lost less than most of the others but we must not get complacent.

"What we have got to do is make sure that other teams which aren't making money and do have sponsorships that are hugely affected by the latest financial crisis do come through it."

Toyota team president John Howett warned against a knee-jerk reaction to the crisis stressing such action could have far worse consequences.

"I think the danger is that a knee-jerk reaction could be catastrophic," he said.

"In the end, if we have pressure we will be told that is the budget and we will survive.

"If we get told this is the budget for competing this year, next year we will compete and do the best available job we can within that

"Obviously the social issue is what will happen to the motor sport infrastructure and it goes beyond teams.

"The UK, in particular, I think has a multi-million dollar motor sport industry which could be destroyed and that, I think, should be something that people do worry about and take into consideration.

"But in the end, simplistically, if Toyota tell us that's the budget, we will operate at that budget and make the best professional decisions to handle that."