F1 to hold landmark budget talks
 The teams have until Thursday to adopt the standard engine idea |
Formula One teams will meet motorsport boss Max Mosley in Monte Carlo on Wednesday for landmark talks that could change the face of the sport.
FIA chief Mosley wants the teams to use a standard engine and gearbox from 2010 to help cut their costs by up to 80%.
The support of four teams will be enough to push the proposal through, the FIA says, and it claims there has been a "very positive response" so far.
Yet BBC Sport understands the teams will oppose the proposal.
They formed the Formula One Teams Association (Fota) in July to counterbalance the power of Mosley and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and are determined to present a united front.
While Fota is committed to dramatically cutting the operating costs of the teams, it is opposed to the idea of one manufacturer, Cosworth, providing a standard engine for all the teams.
Fota will put forward its own set of cost-cutting proposals to Mosley on Wednesday.
Mosley has given the teams a deadline of 1600 GMT on Thursday to sign up to the idea of a standard "powertrain" of engine and transmission.
The FIA issued a statement on Tuesday claiming: "There has been a very positive response from the F1 teams regarding our engine proposals.
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"It would be inappropriate to comment on the reaction of any individual team, or give further details, in advance of Friday's [FIA] World Council meeting."
This led to reports that Renault was particularly keen to adopt the standard powertrain.
Yet the French team responded by issuing its own statement, saying it "would like to state that the positions of the team and Renault are in complete accordance to those of Fota.
"We would like to point out that neither (team boss) Mr Briatore nor Renault have spoken to the press regarding this matter."
A complete powertrain - with an engine supplied by Cosworth and gearbox from Xtrac and Ricardo - would cost the teams an initial up-front payment of
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