Manufacturers seek two-tiered share in F1

The key player behind the bid is Mercedes-Benz board member Jürgen Hubbert, who is thought to want the power assigned to the manufacturers split over two levels, whereby companies which own part of a team - Ferrari, Ford and Fiat - are given more influence than those involved just as engine suppliers.

The stake in Ecclestone's holding company SLEC - which owns the television and marketing rights to Formula 1 - is said to be up for sale for around £500 million. The companies involved in the potential bid are due to meet this week at the Paris Motor Show in order to devise a strategy for buying the share.

A 30 per cent share would give the car companies some say in the marketing and distribution of television rights for Formula 1, but the manufacturers would ideally like to have a larger stake in order to have as much influence as possible within the sport.