FIA president Jean Todt is to again make a desperate plea to the Formula One teams to reduce costs in a bid to save the sport from financial ruin.
F1 has been rocked over the past few weeks by its latest monetary crisis which resulted in Marussia going out of business and Caterham falling into administration.
Over the past month three of the other smaller teams in Sauber, Force India and Lotus have demanded a more equitable distribution of F1's revenues to help them survive.
Commercial rights holders Bernie Ecclestone and private equity firm CVC Capital Partners are currently attempting to address the issues after meeting with the teams in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
That debate is certain to be raised again in Geneva on Tuesday when the Strategy Group – comprising Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, Williams and Lotus – sits ahead of an F1 Commission meeting chaired by Todt.
It is there the Frenchman will again implore the teams to show sense and accept cost-cutting proposals.
"We know Formula One has cost too much money for decades now," said Todt at a select media briefing.
"There are four main problems in Formula One right now: reducing the costs overall, optimising the show, reducing the power unit costs for the private teams and trying to keep everybody on board.
"We tried in the past with our governance by asking all the teams to reduce costs, not by limiting developments, but limiting the number of parts produced.
"Of the FIA, the commercial rights holder and six ( Strategy Group ) teams I was the only one who encouraged the list of parts to be reduced and action to be undertaken to reduce costs, but all the others were not in favour.
"Then we spoke about a cost cap, but even Lotus, who say today it (the sport) is too much money and we should have a cost cap, voted against. What can we do?
"So we are going to present again to the different stakeholders of the Strategy Group the same proposals which were refused.
"Do they want a cost cap? Do they want to follow the proposals we have to reduce the costs? We will see."
One area where Todt is convinced he can make some headway is with the three power-unit manufacturers – Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari and Renault – with regard to lowering the prices they charge to their customers for a year's supply.
The trio have spent one billion euros between them developing the 1.6-litre V6 turbo-charged hybrid power units introduced at the start of the year.
Naturally, they have attempted to recoup some of those costs in their fees to teams like Sauber, Force India and Lotus who obviously need a system.
Todt added: "It is true we introduced a new power unit, which is probably one of the few sensible decisions which have been taken over the last period. Formula One is the pinnacle of motorsport, so we must be an example to society and give a strong message.
"I am going to fight over the price of the engines for the small teams in order for them to have a more affordable car. I will do my best, but I cannot guarantee the result."
