Talk Steer: Tony Dodgins on...

It was a typical sleepy Friday - set-up and tyre evaluation - when the grenade went off in Shanghai.

"The FIA will today open the tender process for the appointment of a third-party supplier of engines and transmission systems to be used by competitors in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship," read a brief FIA communique.

It reached the press room half an hour before the Friday conference which, by an amazing coincidence, just happened to feature the team principals of F1's two non-constructor/non-manufacturer teams: Toro Rosso's Gerhard Berger and Force India's Vijay Mallya. "Well," said Vijay, "I've never seen such an economic situation in 25 years."

"I agree," said Gerhard, "I'm very happy to see things moving..."

Max's engine mission

At Fuji a week earlier Toyota's John Howett said: "I don't think there has been any discussion between the FIA and teams about a spec engine." Maybe not, but here it was in black and white.

Max Mosley, in Shanghai three years ago, told everyone he was determined to curb engine spending. He did not want to see F1 degenerate into a spending contest between manufacturers. Where would that leave the sport long-term, especially if they've made it unviable for independent teams, the sport's life blood?

What is Mosley's end game? Some even suggested it was payback for those manufacturers who issued disapproving statements when his personal life was in the headlines six months ago. Others say no, absolutely not, he's entirely hot on engines and drivetrains and the tender is the proof.

The question is, how far does Mosley want to go? Will it force some manufacturers to withdraw? How much scope is there for negotiation? The bombshell came four days before the newly formed Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) was due to meet Mosley to discuss urgent cost reductions, future technical regulations and how to maintain F1's competitive element.

"It's Max's standard modus operandi," someone said. "He says he's going to boil you in oil, so that eventually you're happy merely to have your testicles removed with a pair of rusty shears instead."

Howett said in Fuji that if standard engines were introduced: "We'd have to decide whether F1 is the right environment for various manufacturers to remain in."

His opposite number at Honda, Nick Fry, added: "Most of us are not happy at all with the idea of a standard engine. We are the largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines in the world... but a prescriptive engine, tightly controlled, that we had the ability to put our brand identity on - if we were making the thing - would be a very different proposition."

That, I think, is the key point. You might argue that no one thought any less of Mercedes when its F1 engines were being made by Ilmor at a time when it had less than a controlling stake in the company. But the manufacturers in F1 need the perception to be that they are making their own engines.

Playing the politics game

You don't have to be Einstein to work out that, politically, this is a dangerous time. You might even worry that F1 is on a knife edge. Ferrari appears to be united with the other major manufacturers, whereas before they were aligned with Max and Bernie.

The car makers seem determined not to be split no matter how many firecrackers Max and Bernie lob in - customer cars is another one. Money is incredibly tight and, presently, more than 50 per cent of the revenue is disappearing out of the sport. Max is playing hard ball.

With Bernie approaching 80 and Max arguably damaged, you might logically surmise that a breakaway championship has never been more inevitable.

Do I think it will happen? No. The FIA and Bernie, who, for the avoidance of doubt we should consider as one, have long-term contracts with the best circuits and with TV companies. They administrate, generally well, what has become a very slick show.

Mosley, too, moves in elevated circles. The big bosses will have had it pointed out to them that he doesn't want F1 engines to be a performance differentiator. So they are going to ask why they are spending so much money. He's going to point out how much he's trying to save them.

And when everyone is skint, the bean counters are going to like that. So, sidestep that vat of oil and prepare for castration.