APRIL 28, 2001

Todt still expecting Formula One split

JEAN TODT believes the deal to hand commercial rights for Formula One to SLEC for the next 100 years will not prevent the carmakers' attempts to form a breakaway championship.

SLEC, which is owned by Bernie Ecclestone and German media companies EM.TV and Kirch, secured the commercial rights to the sport for the next 100 years on Tuesday.

But Todt believes the carmakers could still break away in the future, and said: "The position of the manufacturers is up to Mr. Cantarella, the chairman of the European group of constructors.

"He is running one action with the intention of running another championship at the expiration of the Concorde Agreement. That's all I can say.

"If something will happen it will be a championship probably with the same players. Probably it will just change the name.

"But in my opinion the championship will remain the same - with different organization - the same principle and from what I understand under the FIA sporting and technical rules."