Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One's controversial ringmaster, has been urged to "uncrap" the sport by Force India team principal Vijay Mallya.
Ecclestone, 84, was quoted earlier this season as claiming he had been given a "crap sport to sell", but later insisted his comments were made in relation to the V6 power units introduced at the beginning of last season.
Speaking ahead of the British Grand Prix, Mallya said: "How would I respond to the chief executive's comments that he had a crappy product to sell? He shouldn't be selling the product if he thought it was crap.
"Considering he sells the product he calls crap, but he makes billions of pounds out if it, he needs to work with the participants to uncrap it."
Formula One has come under heavy criticism this season following a number of processional races. Overtaking is down on previous years while Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg have won seven of the opening eight grands prix this term.
A fans' survey, commissioned by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, delivered a damning verdict on the state of the sport with 90 per cent of its participants calling for more entertainment. Less than one in 10 believed Formula One is in a healthier condition than it was five years ago, while a majority of the 217,000 fans described the sport as "boring".
F1's strategy group - consisting of representatives from the leading six teams, as well as Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt - met on Wednesday to discuss the direction they feel the sport should head in.
It was announced that a wider tyre choice will be made available from next season while a revised qualifying and race format is also being considered, although none of the team bosses at Friday's press conference wished to elaborate on the specifics.
Driver aids will be banned from this season's Belgian Grand Prix while noisier engines also head the agenda in a bid to spice up the sport.
Source: PA
