Max Mosley, the man driving the biggest change in the history of Formula One, took the fight to Ferrari – which leads opposition to his radical budget cap plans – by saying the sport could live without the presence of Formula One’s most successful and durable racing team.

The president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, motorsport’s world governing body, this week stunned Ferrari and other big-spending teams by announcing a $40m cap on team expenditure from next year, a move that threatens Ferrari’s continued presence in a sport it has been involved in since 1950.