FOTA teams say breakaway remains an option

By Alan Baldwin

NUERBURGRING, Germany (Reuters) - Formula One teams said Thursday progress had been made towards ending the sport's internal turmoil but warned the governing body a breakaway championship remained an option.

"We still don't have an agreement although I would say we are making progress, slowly but steadily. But we cannot sit back and wait," BMW-Sauber's Mario Theissen told reporters at the German Grand Prix.

"We have to keep all options open, and that means we have to look at the other course as well."

Toyota motorsport president John Howett, FOTA's vice-chairman, said the breakaway threat remained alive.

"I don't think we've ever taken it away. We've just put it on the backburner," he added.

The teams were responding to a statement by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) that a new commercial agreement to end the threat of a rival series could be ready within days.

"At present, it seems probable that a final draft of the 2009 Concorde Agreement will be agreed and ready for signature in the coming days," the FIA had said.

Theissen felt that was optimistic.