From GMM

Max Mosley has repeated his claim that formula one could survive without its most famous name.

Bernie Ecclestone recently tried to defuse the FIA president's original comments, but after discovering that Ferrari has launched legal action to halt the 2010 rules, Mosley again suggested that the sport could survive without the Italian team.

"The idea that they are indispensable is nonsense," the Briton said on Friday.

"It's a little bit like poor Senna. He was the most important driver in 1994 but when he very sadly got killed, formula one went on. Lotus were very important once, so were Brabham," Mosley added.

The Briton believes the Maranello team will eventually come around, but expects the argument to run for some time yet.

It is clear that tensions are running high. For example, when revealing that he came to know about Ferrari's injunction application by text message during the FOTA meeting, Mosley revealed that team boss Stefano Domenicali was not aware of the development.

"I thought that was quite original," he said, "to send a team principal in without informing him of his team's intentions. I think he was slightly embarrassed."

However, Mosley denies the situation is the biggest threat to F1 since the 'breakaway' threats of 2005.

"I think the chances of a breakaway are smaller this time," said Mosley. "After all, we are giving them a chance to race and spend less money."

Speaking with The Times newspaper, F1 chief executive Ecclestone also sounded unimpressed with his sport's oldest team.

Asked about the legal action, the 78-year-old said: "It's good, it keeps it in the bloody newspaper. They should have done it before (now) -- idiots."