F1 civil war rages on in Abu Dhabi

The civil war in formula one continues to rage.

Earlier, the governing FIA summoned Bob Fernley (Force India), Gerard Lopez (Lotus) and Monisha Kaltenborn (Sauber) to mandatorily attend Friday’s official press conference in Abu Dhabi.

None of them appeared. In their places were Otmar Szafnauer (Force India) and Federico Gastaldi (Lotus), while Sauber boycotted the press conference altogether.

It is not known if the Swiss team will be penalised.

But the three teams have been bitterly complaining about the distribution of power and income within F1, and the latest step could be the intervention of the European Commission’s competition arm.

The German news agency DPA says that following her letter, British politician Anneliese Dodds is now set to meet with the Commission’s competition chief next Tuesday to discuss her concerns.

Back in the F1 paddock, it is also believed that proposals to redistribute some income - including the departed Marussia’s - to the rebel teams have been vetoed by Ferrari and Red Bull.

The next meetings to take place will reportedly involve FIA president Jean Todt, who has touched down in Abu Dhabi.

"Fortunately I haven’t been in any of those meetings," Force India’s press conference substitute Szafnauer said on Friday, "so it’s hard for me to answer that question."