Max Mosley has led FIA since 1993 and agreed to step down in October. (Gareth Watkins/Associated Press)The Formula One Teams Association called Thursday for a neutral successor to FIA president Max Mosley, a move aimed at ending months of discord in the F1 racing community.
The group also said it has reached an agreement on cutting costs, one of the most contentious issues between its members and the sport's ruling body.
The often divisive and scandal-plagued Mosley has led FIA, the international automobile federation that governs Formula One, since 1993. While FOTA will play no part in choosing his successor, its vice-president, John Howett, called on the World Motorsport Council to elect a candidate acceptable to all.
"We would like to see someone independent, perhaps independent from any of us, either currently or historically," Howett said. "It would mean a much better balance."
FOTA's members are Ferrari, McLaren, BMW Sauber, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Brawn GP.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told reporters on Thursday that additional cost cuts would be implemented.
"Already the savings have resulted in 15-25 per cent saved and we will see further savings in the next few seasons," Horner said.
The possibility of the FOTA members breaking away and establishing a rival F1 series was averted Wednesday when Mosley agreed with FOTA to scrap a planned budget cap, and then also said he will step down at the end of his term.
Mosley's climbdown on the voluntary £40-million ($75.7-million Cdn) budget cap saw teams instead given a watered-down order to reduce costs to early 1990s levels.
FOTA had already implemented a series of cost-cutting measures themselves this season amid the global economic downturn, restricting on-track testing and the use of wind tunnels for aerodynamic testing.
Renault boss Flavio Briatore also hinted that FOTA would push for a return to some of Formula One's more traditional tracks, which have been dropped in recent years as the FIA looked for more lucrative venues.
"Even if the likes of Turkey are paying more money, we would rather have stadia that are full," Briatore told reporters. "It is better for the spirit of the sport. We want stands full of fans. There is no point spending all that money on an empty cathedral."
Earlier this month, empty stands were an unwanted backdrop at the Istanbul Park Circuit, with only 36,000 tickets sold for the three-day event. A number of drivers complained of a lack of atmosphere and proposed letting in fans for free.
Large banks of empty seats have become normal at F1 tracks in China, Bahrain and Malaysia as F1's commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has branched out to find countries ready to agree to lucrative contracts.
Both the Canadian and French GP were dropped this season after organizers failed to meet Ecclestone's financial demands.
