If the Japanese Grand Prix was under threat, two weeks ago, of a typhoon coming its way head on, the Brazilian paddock took a direct hit from all directions: Bernie Ecclestone breaking off negotiations with the BRDC, Max Mosley announcing new regulations, nine teams ganging up on World Champions Ferrari, Sauber defecting from under the Italians' umbrella, and the GPWC resuming their campaign for a breakaway series. Atlas F1's Dieter Rencken analyses the events of a stormy week

If a week is a long time in politics, in Formula One it is an aeon. And, the combined events of this week past proved that beyond all doubt.

First, Bernie Ecclestone announced that he had broken off all negotiations with the BRDC; that Silverstone was, effectively, dead as a World Championship venue. Then, on Thursday, he did endorse the concept of a non-Championship event previously suggested in this column, saying he would fully support the idea.

On Monday, FIA President Max Mosley reportedly gave the concept - which would see F1 cars run other than in Championship events for the first time since the early 1980s - his blessing, so possibly, just possibly, Silverstone may yet host a British grand prix in 2005. (Note lower case, although Mosley did comment that the country's sporting authority, RAC Motorsports Association, owns the title, and not the FIA nor any of Ecclestone's companies.)

By then, though, events had overtaken any thoughts of Silverstone going its own way. On Friday Sao Paulo's paddock was treated to the sight of Ecclestone flashing past in all directions as he scurried from meeting to meeting, first with all team bosses, then on a team by team basis. Early on Saturday morning news broke that yet another meeting had been called, but, this time without Ferrari.

It seems that Ecclestone, under siege from banks over control of F1's commercial rights holding company SLEC, locked in dispute with the ten teams over revenue distribution and transparency, and under attack from the Grand Prix World Championship over a rival series, is desperate to run 19 Grands Prix next year. To do so he needs to cut a deal with the teams, who, in terms of the covenant by which F1 is run, the Concorde Agreement, need compete in no more than 17 races per season until 2007. Each additional event carries a premium, and the cash-strapped teams are pushing hard on that front, whilst F1's supremo is, obviously, on a damage-limitation exercise.

So, simple solution: offer indirect sweeteners to teams in exchange for an increased calendar.

The craziest expense of all in an exceedingly expensive sport is testing, so, suggested Ecclestone to the nine team bosses, agree to reduce testing other than during Grand Prix weekends, and put the savings towards two additional races - notionally Silverstone and Magny-Cours, but practically Shanghai and Turkey, for they are the latest comers.

In addition, a single tyre supplier was suggested to cut down on tyre testing, and there was talk of retaining V10 engines, rev-limited to 17,000.

Concorde, though, requires unanimous agreement amongst all teams in the event of change - and going from the standard 17 races, and even from the 18 of this year, to 19 is as big a change as any, particularly if testing is to be reduced substantially.

By Friday night, though, Ecclestone knew he had a massive big red stumbling block: Ferrari. The Italian team has, besides the Fiorano test facility right on its doorstep, open access to the neighbouring Vairano and Mugello circuits, plus, not for nothing, is Imola's track known as the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

So, with virtually unlimited access to test tracks and vast hordes of cash, even if parent company Gruppo Ferrari Maserati has posted losses every quarter this year, the Maranello-based outfit was hardly going to agree to the restriction (or total removal) of its biggest operational asset. Plus, of course, Ferrari's almost exclusive relationship with Bridgestone is closer than any between Michelin and its partners, so tyre restrictions, too, would meet with fierce resistance. After all, turkeys don't vote for Christmas, as one journalist in Brazil put it.

Meanwhile, rumours circulated in the paddock that the GPWC would be making an important announcement come Tuesday, and that such announcement would be tantamount to war.

Saturday's overcast morning saw more scurrying, and, then, around noon came the first indication that something big was happening. Few team bosses were on their 'prat perches' during first and second qualifying, and the reason soon became clear: a Cost Savings Initiative was being thrashed out, and would soon be signed by all save Ferrari, who had no choice in the matter: sporting director Jean Todt had not been invited.

Why? "You had better ask Bernie," said one. "We did not draw up the invite list, he did. So you had better ask him, but don't forget that (Jean) Todt is French, and we're talking about saving the French Grand Prix. If he does not sign (eventually), the demise of his home race could be blamed on him…"

Changed somewhat from Friday's draft CSI, Saturday's agreement bound its signatories to an increased calendar, compensated for by three-day Grand Prix weekends during which Friday would be given over to Open Practice, but the single tyre supplier and engine clauses were not carried through. The document did, though, indicate that talks would be held with both tyre suppliers to reduce tyre testing, and, allegedly, standardised front and rear aerofoil packages had been discussed.

Whatever, by 16:00 Brazilian time, Minardi chief Paul Stoddart, said to have assumed the position of Ecclestone's lieutenant all weekend, was rushing about with a sheaf of documents. But, he had a problem: only eight teams had signed. Ferrari's was, clearly, absent, but so was Peter Sauber's who, and, at that stage, would not be attaching his signature despite having had input into the meetings.

At that time, the Swiss team boss was honouring an appointment for an interview with Atlas F1, and a measure of the man is that he left one meeting, made time for the 30 minute interview - during which he made his feelings regarding CSI crystal clear ("I have been saying all along that we need to reduce testing, but matters must be structured and thought through…") - then hurried off to sign the document. This news was met with astonishment, for, forget not, Sauber, which runs Ferrari engines badged 'Petronas', has generally been viewed as Ferrari's B team, and, as such, was widely expected to follow its engine supplier.

The full text of Peter Sauber's interview will appear in Atlas F1 in one of the upcoming magazine issues, but on Sunday he distributed a press release putting his feelings and anguish in view of his professional tie to Ferrari and the depth of his relationship with Todt and other team members into perspective. But, the important thing is that he signed the Cost Saving Initiative, and with that Ferrari was out in the cold.

"I'm not telling you how to write your headlines," exclaimed a gleeful Stoddard, "but you may like to consider: French and British Grands Prix hang on Ferrari's signature." Of course, in view of the Concorde Agreement and its need for unanimity, the matter is not that simple, but it was a measure of the strength of the hands the nine had played with - and, once again, Ecclestone had divided to rule.

By Saturday evening Todt was, according to a Ferrari team member, fit to be tied, his day not improved by Michael Schumacher's practice crash and the need for a replacement car which dropped the German to 18th on the grid and diminished hopes the team had of beating McLaren's 1988 record of 15 wins (from 16 races, though) in a single season. Not a good day, then, to wear red.

Equally uneasy was BAR's David Richards, who according to Japanese sources, had signed the document without reference to Honda, which had the Japanese company wondering whether they were a technical partner of the team, or just an engine supplier. Honda Racing president Shoichi Tanaka, who retires from the company early next year having already delayed the original date whilst a successor is sought, is said to have dined with Japanese journalists on Sunday evening and voiced his displeasure over Richards' signature.

Honda is in Formula One for the technological challenge, not for marketing reasons, and any cuts on testing mean an automatic reduction in research, particularly as Friday tests would be conducted in the public domain - hardly an environment in which to develop technology. Plus, having finished runner-up in this year's Constructors' Championship, the Japanese automaker is aiming fairly and squarely for the top, and any restrictions on testing would impact on its ambitions.

On Sunday Todt, who arrived at the circuit at 09:00 but was not seen about the place until shortly before race start, issued a verbal statement, in Italian, via Luca Colajanni, Ferrari's press officer. No transcript or translations were made available, so English journalists relied upon the goodwill and skills of their Italian colleagues, but the gist was that the CSI was illegal, France and Silverstone were not the 18th and 19th races and that Ferrari would never betray a partner as loyal as Bridgestone. He also alluded to the original engine clause (V10s restricted to 17,000 rpm), which was not mentioned at all in the signed document and caused Stoddard to wonder whether Todt had actually read the CSI.

Then came race time, and, timeously F1 proved exactly why it deserves its status as a global sport. The race was great, even if the TV production was not, and afterwards most team personnel packed and left for home base via a battery of early Sunday evening flights. Ecclestone, though, did not head for England, but made for Cancun, Mexico, where a 2006 race (Formula One's 20th?) was announced on Monday.

Almost simultaneously Todt expanded on his thoughts, and ended by suggesting that the FIA had been 'marginalised' by the shenanigans of the weekend: a broadside at Ecclestone, whose perceived ties with FIA president Max Mosley are legendary. And, still it was not over.

Tuesday dawned, and, sure enough, GPWC put out a press release stating that it had appointed an international sports marketing agency. Crucially, its second paragraph read as follows:

Following extensive benchmarking of the world's major sport and motor sport events, a group of global experts from sports marketing, motor sport, business and entertainment has been brought together with the single goal to create the new pinnacle of motor sports. The project team is preparing the ground for a Grand Prix racing series that will maintain the strengths of Formula One, while eliminating its weaknesses. Accordingly, the New Series will be built around the interests of the sport's key stakeholders - the public, the teams, circuit owners and other core partners.

What happens next is anybody's guess, but it sure has been a long week.

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