Manufacturers monitor Kirch price.

Despite continuing to press ahead with their rival grand prix series, the major motor manufacturers involved in Formula One have admitted to keeping an eye on the situation with rights holder Kirch.

The German media giant is rumoured to be on the verge of selling its 75 per cent stake in Formula One holding company SLEC in order to help pay off mounting debts - and the manufacturers may pounce if the price is right.

Comments made by Mercedes boss Jurgen Hubbert have suggested that the auto giants may decide to buy from Kirch instead of going to the expense of setting up a rival series. The group - consisting of DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Renault, BMW and Ford, and formally entitled ACEA - has threatened to run in opposition to the current F1 from 2008 should it not be granted a say in how the sport is run.

The group feared that Kirch would take F1 to pay-per-view television once it had a controlling stake, and reacted angrily when the share in SLEC passed from Bernie Ecclestone to the German company.

Hubbert insisted that no talks had taken place between the manufacturers and Kirch, but indicated that they were indeed monitoring the possible selling price of the rights to F1.

"First of all the sum would have to be lowered to something realistic, then we could talk," Hubbert said, "I have an idea what a realistic sum would be, but I am not going to tell you what that is."