Jan.10 (GMM) HRT's logo has been removed from the website of the formula one teams association FOTA.

There are varying accounts of why the back-of-the-grid Spanish team has left the body, including some claims that FOTA simply suspended Hispania because it had not paid its EUR 100,000 membership fee.

Another explanation is that HRT is no longer supportive of F1's big teams, particularly with Red Bull reportedly breaching the Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA) in 2010 by some EUR 60 million, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

It is also rumoured that Mercedes is unlikely to meet the RRA restrictions on the development of KERS.

The Spanish news agency EFE claims that HRT's departure could trigger more teams to split with FOTA, thus undermining the power of the body ahead of crucial commercial negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone.

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