FIA: Teams missing GPs will be in breach

Less than 24 hours after FIA President Jean Todt said teams "can skip three races", the FIA has warned that if they do, they'll be in breach of contract.

The questions about skipping races have been raised in recent weeks, with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone saying he believes at least two of F1's newcomers, USF1 and Campos Meta, could miss the opening three races of the Championship.

Ecclestone was backed up Todt, the new head of the FIA, who stated quiet clearly that any and all teams can miss as many as three grands prix.

Speaking at a media briefing in Paris on Tuesday, Todt said: "In the last draft of the Concorde Agreement it's written that a team can skip three races."

And although the Frenchman may be the head of the FIA, motorsport's governing body on Wednesday released a statement contradicting Todt's and warning against missing a single event.

The FIA stated: "Following recent reports on the interpretation of clauses in the Concorde Agreement concerning the concept of a team's 'participation' in the FIA Formula One World Championship, the FIA wishes to make the following clarification:

"From a sporting and regulatory point of view, each team that has registered for the championship is obliged to take part in every event of the season.

"Any failure to take part, even for just one championship event, would constitute an infringement both of the Concorde Agreement and the FIA Regulations."

Source: FIA: Teams missing GPs will be in breach - Planet-F1 News from planet-f1.com