Ferrari and Red Bull Racing have withdrawn from FOTA in the light of the ongoing debate over the future of the RRA.

The news leaves the organization in a state of disarray and appears to strengthen Bernie Ecclestone’s hand in the build-up to the signing of a new Concorde Agreement.

After the news emerged on Friday, Ferrari quickly issued a lengthy statement to justify its position. Red Bull later issued a brief statement, which reads: "Red Bull Racing can confirm it has served notice to withdraw from FOTA (Formula One Teams Association). The team will remain committed to finding a solution regarding cost saving in Formula One."

Among the issues that the Ferrari team says need addressing – and not for the first time – are the use of technologies relevant to high performance road cars, and testing.

The Ferrari statement said: “Ferrari has informed FOTA President Martin Whitmarsh that it is leaving the organization made up of the teams competing in the Formula One World Championship.

“It was a difficult decision and a great deal of thought went into it. It was taken reluctantly after analyzing the current situation and the stalemate when it came to debate on some issues that were at the core of why the association was formed, indeed with Ferrari and Luca di Montezemolo as the main instigator and promoter of ideas. It’s not by chance that the president of the Maranello company held that same position and job title within FOTA up to the end of 2009.

“Some of the major achievements of the association during these years, also worked out in conjunction with the FIA, centered around cost reduction, which was of significant benefit to everyone, the big teams and the small ones. Ferrari was on the front line in this area, even before the birth of FOTA and it intends to continue down this route to ensure the sustainability of the sport in the long term. Now, however, it is necessary to find some new impetus to move it along because FOTA’s drive has run its course, despite the excellent work of current president, Martin Whitmarsh, in trying to reach agreement between the various positions for the common good.

“Ferrari will continue to work with the other teams to make the current RRA, Resource Restriction Agreement, aimed at controlling costs, more effective and efficient, modifying it to make it more stringent in key areas such as aerodynamics, to rebalance some aspects such as testing and to expand it to areas currently not covered such as engines.

“Formula One, like the rest of the world in fact, is currently going through a delicate period. Ferrari wants to work with all parties for the future of a sport that expresses the highest level of motor sport technology. We must return to a situation where Formula One is really a test bed for advanced technological research, the results of which can be transferred to Granturismo cars.

“In addition, we must not forget that this sport must become more user-friendly and more accessible to the general public and furthermore, it cannot be the only professional sport where it is practically impossible to do any training. The number of days of testing must be increased so that the drivers, especially the young ones who lack experience and the teams, can be adequately prepared, as well as providing more opportunities for them to come into contact with spectators and sponsors.”