Formula One's fragile peace deal was stretched to breaking point yesterday after Ferrari and seven other teams walked out of a meeting in Germany with the governing body over next year's rules.
"The eight FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) teams were invited to attend the meeting to discuss their further proposals for 2010," the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, no discussion was possible because FOTA walked out of the meeting."
FOTA, who had threatened to set up their own breakaway series until what seemed to be a breakthrough deal was announced in Paris last month, said in a statement that F1's future was again in jeopardy.
FOTA's members are championship leaders Brawn GP, BMW-Sauber, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Renault, Toro Rosso and Toyota.
The technical working group session, at the Nuerburgring before Sunday's German Grand Prix, had been due to bring together FOTA, the three new entrants for 2010 plus Williams and Force India who are suspended from FOTA.
The FIA said the aim had been to agree changes to the 2010 regulations, in line with the decision taken last month to revert to the version of the sporting and technical rules in place until April 29 this year.