FIA hits back after Ferrari quit threat

(GMM) The FIA has hit back at Ferrari's warning that the imposition of a standard engine formula could lead to its withdrawal from the sport.

"It seems the Ferrari board were misinformed," said a statement issued by the Paris based body, whose president is the controversial figure Max Mosley.

After a meeting of its board of directors on Monday, the famous Italian team said the advent of control engine designs would cause Ferrari to consider "the viability of continuing its presence" on the grid.

But in its response, the sport's ruling federation said Ferrari seems to have overlooked the alternative option of making available engine supply packages to small teams for 5m euros per season.

"It is now for the manufacturers to agree one of the three FIA options or themselves produce concrete proposals to reduce costs to a sustainable level," the statement said.

"If neither happens, the FIA will take whatever measures prove necessary to preserve a credible world championship for both drivers and constructors."

Earlier this week, Renault boss Flavio Briatore suggested teams will indeed go down an alternate route to standard engines.

BMW-Sauber team principal Mario Theissen told the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur on Tuesday: "We don't expect the standard engine to come after the talks held so far."