Ecclestone confident car makes will stick with F1

The five European-based car manufacturers involved in the sport have threatened to form their own breakaway championship after expressing concerns over how much say they have in the running of the sport and its long-term future on free-to-air TV.

German media giants Kirch and EMTV have recently taken a majority stake in SLEC, the company formed by Ecclestone to control the commercial and TV rights of F1. By recently securing another 25 percent stake in SLEC, Kirch and EMTV now have a 75 percent stake.

But speaking on ITV, Ecclestone said he was confident the threat of a pull-out would come to nothing and F1 would not be switched to pay-per-view TV.

"I think it will all be sorted out in the end," he said. "As long as they [the manufacturers] thought I was totally in control, they were happy. I suppose they were worried I'd keel over or something. But they should have absolutely no fears at all - part of my agreement to stay in control for another five years is that F1 should absolutely not go on to pay-per-view TV.

"They're [the manufacturers] in F1 to sell products, not to run races or race teams and I think they'll realise that in the end."

Ecclestone also stressed that Kirch's majority stake has not altered the balance of power within the commercial corridors of the sport.

"They took up their option to buy another 25 percent, but the operating companies are the same as they ever were and nothing's changed," he added. "Nothing's changed for me - I'm in control as much as I ever have been. But F1 has never really stayed the same - we have to always move on, and I'd be disappointed if we didn't."

Ecclestone's positive stance was backed up by team boss Sir Frank Williams, who said: "I do think that this talk of an alternative series is a little premature. It doesn't worry me at all."

The teams are tied to the F1 World Championship until 2007 by the Concorde Agreement, the document which determines how the sport operates, but the manufacturers, in their role as engine suppliers, are free to leave as and when they wish. World Champion Michael Schumacher expressed caution over taking their threats too lightly.

"One can only hope we find a way that it [Formula1] can run as in the past," he said. "I'm seen other series where the involvement of too many manufacturers have killed them."