London ? Formula One’s proposal to add extra weight to the fastest cars is meeting resistance from the circuit’s big-budget teams.

Bernie Ecclestone, the head of Formula One, and Max Mosley, president of FIA, the governing body of F1 racing, are recommending a plan to handicap a car if its team builds an early points lead next season.

“I find the suggestion of adding ballast to anyone’s car rather distasteful,” said BMW Williams technical director Patrick Head. “The idea of handicapping has been mooted on and off over the years. It would certainly change the face of F1 but I am not sure it would make it better or more entertaining.”

Ferrari’s success this season has prompted calls for change. Ferrari has won all but two races, and driver Michael Schumacher won his fifth title in July.

“This proposal is not thinkable because there is a commission that discusses the chance in rules, and has to decide on changes,” Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said. “It is not fair to penalize the best with this sort of handicap.”

McLaren also opposes the idea.

“We would not sign up to a weight handicap in Formula One,” said Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren’s managing director. “I understand the concerns about the lack of close racing at the present time, but this is largely due to Ferrari doing an excellent job. Nobody wants to beat Ferrari simply because their cars carry additional weight.”