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SILVERSTONE, England - Formula One chiefs are to start legal proceedings without delay against the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) following their threat to begin a breakaway series it was announced on Friday.
Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, BMW Sauber, Toyota, Brawn GP, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, who are all under the FOTA banner, announced on Thursday that they would not sign up to next year's F1 world championship and planned to start their own championship in 2010.
The row started when FIA president Max Mosley announced the introduction of a voluntary 40 million pound budget cap at the end of April.
Following meetings between Mosley and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the Silverstone paddock ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix, motor sport's world governing body has now decided legal action is their only option.
The FIA statement read: "The FIA's lawyers have now examined the FOTA threat to begin a breakaway series.
"The actions of FOTA as a whole, and Ferrari in particular, amount to serious violations of law including wilful interference with contractual relations, direct breaches of Ferrari's legal obligations and a grave violation of competition law.
"The FIA will be issuing legal proceedings without delay. Preparations for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship continue but publication of the final 2010 entry list will be put on hold while the FIA asserts its legal rights."
- AFP /ls
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