FIA confirms Concorde Agreement talks underway with F1 teams and Bernie Ecclestone

Although there has been speculation over the past few weeks that Ecclestone may try and take more control over F1 from the FIA, the governing body has revealed that it remains party to the ongoing negotiations.

"All matters relating to a new agreement between the commercial rights holder and the teams are clearly still at a discussion stage and that the FIA is engaged with all the relevant parties as part of this discussion," said the FIA's head of F1 communications Matteo Bonciani.

"Of course, these matters have been under discussion for quite some time, and due to their complexity, it is best not to speculate until a clear direction has been agreed."

McLaren, which is one of seven teams that has agreed terms with Ecclestone for new commercial terms, said in Malaysia that it thinks it vital that the FIA remains a part of any new Concorde Agreement.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "We have to have a Concorde that involves the FIA, the teams competing and the commercial rights holder. Bernie's trying to put the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together. And I sense it's heading in the right direction."

Whitmarsh also made it clear that his team had not signed any final agreement with Ecclestone - and that there was still some way to go before matters were officially signed off.

"In Formula 1 there's always a chance that contractual matters become long and drawn out," he said. "Bernie hasn't said that the majority [of teams] have signed, he's said that he's reached an agreement with the majority, which must be seven or more, I guess.

"I don't know what anyone has signed. McLaren hasn't signed any document at the moment with Bernie and the commercial rights holder... [and] until something's signed, you haven't got an agreement.

"But I think we're in constructive discussions and I think others would say the same thing. I believe other teams are having those same sorts of discussions at the moment."