Max Mosley may be defiant, but he is facing the biggest challenge since he was elected as president of the FIA

For the British media, for nigh on 20 years now, the Silverstone British Grand Prix weekend has traditionally kicked off with a Renault dinner hosted at The Vine House in nearby Paulersbury.

It's always a fine evening among some of the more experienced and entertaining paddock raconteurs. This time though, everyone was anxiously glancing at their mobiles. Just down the road, at Renault F1's Enstone premises, a FOTA meeting was in full swing. Would they reach a solution to the stand-off with the FIA and submit unconditional entries to the 2010 world championship by the imposed deadline of the following day? Or would they announce a breakaway championship?

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