Max Mosley remains committed to the concept of 'customer cars' - whereby a team is allowed to race a chassis manufactured by another team - which are permitted in 2008.

Mosley, whose March company led the way in terms of manufacturing chassis which allowed people to compete in all disciplines of motorsport, including F1, F2, F3, F5000, Can-Am, Indy and Sportscars, believes that 'customers cars' will open up competition and help reduce costs.

"There are all sorts of commercial discussions going on but, to me, it's self evident that Formula One hasn't got enough money for twelve different teams to have twelve research and development programmes, twelve wind tunnels, twelve organisations getting on for one-thousand employees (each)," he told Reuters.

"That means you either have 'customer cars' or you have people struggling at the back of the grid being lapped four times in the race," he continued. "To me it's obvious you should have the customer cars. Whether you have four cars of a given make or two on the grid, it doesn't seem to matter. They will all look completely different anyway."

One of the first teams to take advantage of the new rule will be David Richards' Prodrive outfit, which enters F1 next season having won the coveted 'twelfth entry'. Then again, with only twelve teams allowed to compete in F1, only a handful are going to take advantage of the new rule anyway.

That said, two teams appear to have already jumped the gun, both alleged to be using 'customer cars' this season. In the case of Toro Rosso it's the 2007 Red Bull, while Super Aguri is said to be using the 2006 Honda.

The matter has gone to arbitration, which Mosley feels is the right move.

"In 2008, it won't be a problem," he said. "In 2007, there is a dispute about what the Concorde Agreement means and it is right and proper that if there is a dispute it should go to arbitration."

It's understood that Bernie Ecclestone is hoping to resolve the row in time for next month's Spanish Grand Prix.