Ecclestone trying to end customer car row

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone is trying to organise a team principals' meeting this weekend in a bid to bring an end to the ongoing controversy over customer cars, autosport.com has learned

Following Spyker's protest against Scuderia Toro Rosso's entry for this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix, which the stewards have yet to rule on, sources have indicated that Ecclestone has stepped in to try and broker a deal to resolve the situation.

With several team bosses believed to be concerned about the customer car issue overshadowing the start of the season, and Ecclestone wanting the sport to focus on racing rather than off-track politics, all the principals are being urged to get together to talk about the issue.

It is hoped that a meeting can be called for as soon as this afternoon to try and find a compromise solution from Super Aguri and Toro Rosso that will head off continued action from Spyker.

Although it is not clear what a suitable solution would be, it is likely to revolve around agreements over the pooling of television rights money.

Only the top ten teams in the constructors' championship are awarded television and travel money, which means Spyker could lose several millions of dollars if Super Aguri and Toro Rosso beat them.

One idea that was floated before the start of the season was for Super Aguri and Toro Rosso to agree to share any money they earned this season with Spyker and Williams.