Advanced Search

Related News

Home » Sports » Motor Racing

F1 entry list triggers more controversy

Source: Agencies | June 13, 2009, Saturday | Print Edition

FORMULA One teams and the governing body remained locked in combat yesterday after the publication of the 2010 entry list that included all 10 current teams as well as newcomers from America and Spain.

While stepping back from the brink, the International Automobile Federation FIA made clear in a statement that a long-running standoff that has threatened to tear the sport apart over next year's rules was far from over. It said that championship leaders Brawn GP, BMW-Sauber, world champion Lewis Hamilton's McLaren team, Renault and Toyota were only provisional entries and could still be shut out if agreement was not reached by next Friday.

They were "invited to lift their conditions" after further discussions, with other would-be entrants waiting to step in should there be no agreement.

Spain's Campos Grand Prix, the American-based US F1 and Britain's Manor Grand Prix were the confirmed newcomers with due diligence still being carried out on others who missed out.

"Our ambition is to first of all prove that we can design and build a car in the United States, as distinct from Europe which is the normal place, and be competing as an American team," said US F1 Director Peter Windsor. "Like everybody else, we hope that it will be one championship."

Former champion Williams and tailenders Force India are the only current teams to have entered unconditionally.

Champion Ferrari and both Red Bull teams were also deemed to be full entries by the FIA in a controversial step after days of feverish speculation about who would be on the list and whether the existing teams might break away.

The three are all members of FOTA, which submitted a joint entry conditional on the 2010 rules being rewritten and a new commercial agreement signed by Friday.

Ferrari, which had warned the FIA not to include it as an automatic entry and has said it could walk away, reiterated its position in forceful terms.

"For the avoidance of any doubt, Ferrari reaffirms that it shall not take part in the 2010 Formula One world championship under the regulations adopted by the FIA in violation of Ferrari's rights under a written agreement with the FIA," the Italian team said.

FOTA meanwhile drafted a letter to the FIA's senate and world motor sport council seeking to bypass FIA president Max Mosley in attempts to find a solution.

"We respectfully seek the intervention of the World Council to facilitate solutions to the present situation," the letter said. "We have attended numerous meetings with the FIA's representatives and have been unable to make any substantive progress."
Motor Racing



 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend