Political allies Ferrari and Sauber returned to a FOTA meeting on Sunday, despite no longer being official members of the F1 teams association.
With the notable exception of Red Bull and the similarly-owned Toro Rosso, all the F1 teams met in the Lotus hospitality area at Suzuka to talk about a budget cap, proposed higher entry fees, and a forthcoming meeting with FIA president Jean Todt in Paris.
"Only Red Bull remains isolated," a report in Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said, explaining that - at the 23 October meeting - Bernie Ecclestone is expected to present the final Concorde Agreement.
But a big point of discussion on Sunday was the FIA’s plan to dramatically increase official entry fees for 2013.
"Should we just swallow what is put before us by Ecclestone and Todt, or should we be able to have an influence?" Williams’ Toto Wolff is quoted as saying rhetorically.