Fresh doubts over the future of Formula One have been raised after the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) broke off discussions with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

The organisation which represents eight of the current Formula One teams walked away from a meeting at the Nuburgring circuit in Germany after it was claimed that the sport's governing body had gone back on an agreement reached in Paris last month. A FOTA statement said: "As endorsed by the WMSC and clearly stated in the FIA press statement of 24 June 'the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009'.

"At no point in the Paris discussions was any requirement for unanimous agreement on regulations change expressed. To subsequently go against the will of the WMSC and the detail of the Paris agreement puts the future of Formula One in jeopardy." In response, the FIA said: "The eight FOTA teams were invited to attend the meeting to discuss their further proposals for 2010. Unfortunately no discussion was possible because FOTA walked out of the meeting."