With proposed plans for 2017 regulation changes up in the air, and with the FIA recently opening up a tender process in a bid to introduce a budget engine, financial instability continues to plague a number of teams, while circuit bosses are also worried about their ability to continue to host races.

Gastaldi, who is likely to have one race remaining in his current role ahead of Renault's anticipated takeover of Lotus, struggles to see where F1 is heading with so little cooperation going on behind the scenes.

"I believe it is crucial for Formula 1 to review its business model," said Gastaldi. "There are so many financial issues throughout the sport, whether for teams or promoters, that it is hard to see where things will go.

"I know that both Mr. Ecclestone and the FIA have been trying to change things, and I also know that teams aren't always the easiest to work with when we have to join forces. Our agendas and situations differ too much and are almost always preceded with self-preservation."

Austin LotusGastaldi also recognized another of F1's ills that while fans are at the heart of it, they are often being priced out of attending grands prix.

"Additionally, and I have said this before, we have to do everything that we can – all of us – to help promoters sell tickets," added Gastaldi. "Without fans, where would we be?"

Circuits, too, are feeling the pressure. Last week, the United States Grand Prix at Austin's Circuit of The Americas joined the Italian and German races on the endangered list due to a reduction in Texas state funding for the track.

"To cover the loss of funding, we have to sell another 30,000 tickets. But if we could have sold another 30,000 this year we would have," COTA chairman Bobby Epstein said. "We didn't stop selling. So I don't think we're going to make our way out of it by selling more tickets. It's not looking good."

The Austin American-Statesman reported this week that COTA had still not paid its sanction fee for this year's race, estimated at $33 million, to the Formula 1 Group, which controls the sport’s commercial rights and is run by Bernie Ecclestone. However, Ecclestone told the paper he had agreed to give the track more time and indicated he remained hopeful F1 will return to Austin next year.

"The person who dealt with this in the first place is no longer there. The governor is no longer there. So they have got new people, but they should pay what was agreed," Ecclestone told the Statesman. "I think we will get the funding back on track again."