Renault too in qutting mode

"If the decisions announced by the (FIA) World Council on the 29th of April 2009 are not revised, we have no choice but to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship at the end of 2009," team boss Flavio Briatore said in a statement.

Champions Ferrari, Formula One's glamour team who have competed in every championship since 1950, issued a similar threat on Tuesday in response to the introduction of an optional 40 million pound ($60.68 million) budget cap.

Toyota and the two Red Bull-owned teams have also said that they cannot enter what would amount to a two-tier championship next season. The teams' stance has raised the stakes considerably in a war of words with the FIA.