Graeme Lowdon has called on F1's commercial bosses to create a 'level playing field'

Marussia's Graeme Lowdon has called for a financial "level playing field" in Formula 1 as they struggle to compete without income from the sport's commercial rights.

With this weekend's British GP the eighth of 19 races, Marussia may yet fall foul of another financial obstacle. Currently standing tenth in the Constructors' Championship after a strong start to the season, they'll be banking on staying ahead of rivals Caterham given Ecclestone's recent pronouncement that the estimated $10million payment handed out to the 11th-placed team is to be scrapped. They also led Caterham in last year's constructors' standings but suffered heartache at the last race in Brazil when Vitaly Petrov clinched an all-important 11th-place finish. "[Marussia] don't have a commercial agreement because they are not in the top ten," Ecclestone told the Daily Telegraph in April. "We pay the top ten, that's what we do. For three years we did something different because we had an agreement with Max but from now on we will pay the top ten and that is it." Alongside Caterham and the now defunct HRT, Marussia entered F1 in 2010 as part of an attempt made by former FIA President Max Mosley to cut costs. Ecclestone has made no secret of his desire to see a more exclusive field but Lowdon said that both the sport and Marussia should be afforded more respect by its owners. "Ask the fans and they want to see us [in F1]," he added. "This is the Formula One World Championship, not the world championship of private equity excellence. My view is that the championship is bigger than the participants and that is the reason why CVC have a successful investment. It should be treated with a high degree of respect, including the participants. "The championship means a lot to a lot of people who have been made rich by it, but it also means a lot to those who work in it and earn a living out of it."