Are Ecclestone and Briatore planning an F1 revolution?

Bernie Ecclestone's season has clearly started as sound bites abound from the Formula 1 supremo ahead of the new season, with his sights now focused on dwindling grids with a plan which appears that he and his disgraced pal Flavio Briatore have concocted, with little regard to manufacturers currently involved or seeking to become involved in the sport.

Ralf Bach, a correspondent for Sport Bild and TZ Munchen, claims that the 84-year-old Briton's vision of the future is Formula 1 with customer cars - perhaps even a one make series.

It emerged this week that, to boost dwindling grid numbers, Ecclestone - reportedly backed by Colin Kolles and Flavio Briatore - could be hatching a deal with Red Bull to package its 2013 car with a Mecachrome V8 engine and offer it at low cost to struggling small teams.

Writing on his f1-insider.com blog, Bach claims: "In January, Ecclestone met Dietrich Mateschitz in Salzburg to discuss, inter alia, the topic of customer cars."

Bach said that while some of the sport's biggest players like Mercedes might not agree, Ecclestone will not necessary mind even if the German marque pulls out.

Similarly, Ecclestone might also be happy that Volkswagen is staying out of F1 for now, as its patriarch Ferdinand Piech is said to be no fan of the Ecclestone reign.

Leo Turrini, a well-known Italian F1 insider, this week quoted Briatore as apparently sharing his friend and ally Ecclestone's vision of the sport's future.

"The tragic mistake was with the choice of this type [turbo V6] of engine," the former Renault boss said.

"With the noise, they killed the excitement and replaced it with technology that the public does not care about. Add that these power units are expensive and the circle is closed," added Briatore.

"I remain of the opinion that F1 should be a championship for drivers, not for constructors.

"It's not that I support the idea of a one-make championship, but if you introduce a technology where someone like Mercedes has a huge advantage, the basic interest in formula one declines."