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Paris - A court was set to rule on Wednesday on Ferrari's bid to stop Formula 1's governing body from introducing disputed new budget caps next season.
The FIA wants teams to voluntary sign up to a $62m budget cap starting from next season. Several F1 teams are in dispute with the FIA over a budget cap, and last week's meeting with FIA president Max Mosley failed to resolve the dispute.
This prompted Ferrari to take legal action, applying for an injunction in a French high court to stop the measure.
Ferrari sent a team of three lawyers to a high court in Paris on Tuesday, where they argued their case against the FIA in front of judge Jacques Gondrand de Robert.
Should Ferrari win their case, the FIA would most likely appeal, meaning that the thorny issue is unlikely to be resolved by May 29 - the deadline by which teams must enter the 2010 world championship.
Teams that accept the cap will be allowed to make more technical changes to their cars rather than those who don't. But Ferrari, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull and Toro Rosso have threatened to pull out of 2010 if the cap isn't overturned.
Ferrari argued at the court on Tuesday that the FIA should not change the rules.
The Italian team's lawyers, Emmanuel Gaillard and Henri Peter, contended that F1 was in danger of becoming a two-tier championship if budget caps were applied. Furthermore, Peter argued, Ferrari has 700 employees worldwide and is unable to reduce its budget significantly in such a short time.
FIA lawyer Hugues Calvet countered that the survival of F1 means cutbacks are necessary in a financial crisis.
Team owners met with Mosley and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone at a London hotel last week.
Ferrari chief Stefano Domenicali, whose team has competed in F1 since it started 60 years ago, is among the main opponents. But Mosley previously said Ferrari must adapt, regardless of its prestige within the sport.
"If we were to say we can't function without Ferrari they could dictate all sorts. Well, we can't have that," Mosley has said.
Renault boss Flavio Briatore has claimed Mosley and the FIA forced through changes without consulting the teams.
The next Grand Prix is at Monaco on Sunday.
