In Canada, the discussion about so-called 'customer' or 'franchise' Formula 1 cars have moved on, with the biggest teams pushing to be the only 'constructors' at the pinnacle of the sport, supplying full packages to their smaller rivals.
"The teams aspiring to do that are just trying to secure additional revenues that they are otherwise not entitled to," Sauber team co-owner and boss Monisha Kaltenborn is quoted by the German press.
Force India's Bob Fernley agrees: "That agenda, I believe, is about getting total control from a power and financial point of view. I do believe it is a clear power move from those teams."
Indeed, it is now believed that even Bernie Ecclestone is pulling away from the 'franchise teams' idea.
"I don't think we're going to let that happen," the F1 supremo said in Montreal, "because how can you allow one competitor to supply things to another competitor?
"If you and I were running athletes, and I could supply your running shoes, and I made sure yours didn't fit too well ... it (franchise/customer teams) can't really happen," Ecclestone added.
Auto Motor und Sport, however, reports that Ecclestone has another idea. Instead of struggling teams having to buy expensive turbo V6 'power units' from the manufacturers, he would like to see older and cheaper engines available.
"Let's say (at a cost of) six million euros," he said, explaining that they may be 100 horse power down on the up-to-date power units, but the power disadvantage, he said, would be corrected with a lower minimum car weight for the smaller teams.
"Let's say 100hp is three seconds" per lap, said Ecclestone. "Then we just have to figure out how much lighter the cars are so they can be competitive."
He estimates a team like that could be run competitively for 80 million euros, "And they can stay independent."
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