McLaren and Renault Threaten to Pull Out of Melbourne Race

Britain's Times newspaper reported that Renault team boss Flavio Briatore and McLaren Chairman Ron Dennis threatened to organise a boycott of Sunday's race unless Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone paid up.

Ecclestone in return has reportedly threatened to cancel the charter plane taking the cars to Melbourne. A statement posted on the official Formula 1 website (www.formula1.com) by his Formula 1 Administration accused FOTA of making "inaccurate and misleading" comments. "Neither CVC nor FOA owes any amount to any team," it said.

McLaren team Principal Martin Whitmarsh said that while he had not been at the meeting, he believed Ecclestone's version of events to have been "relatively theatrical".

"There is a lot of tension in this climate about lots of teams being owed lots of money," he said. "I think that is a business between the teams and Bernie that needs to be resolved urgently."

Rules Makeover Will Improve Spectacle, Mosley Says

Max Mosley believes that moves to improve the spectacle of Formula 1 should be focused around boosting overtaking rather than a radical overhaul of the race weekend.

Earlier this year, Renault team boss Flavio Briatore suggested a shake-up to F1’s format, with a GP2-type double header instead of the traditional single race (click here for story). Mosley says the FIA will consider all possibilities, but he reckons making passing easier should be the first priority, rather than changes to the established race format.

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