from Autosport this morning: David Richards is preparing to re-enter the Formula 1 arena after lodging an entry under the Prodrive banner with the FIA for the 2010 world championship. The team is the third new entry to formally apply for one of the three places currently available on the 2010 grid, with Campos Meta1 and Team US F1 having already submitted their entries. Lola is also expected to submit an entry before the end of today's cut-off. Richards' decision to enter F1 now has been prompted by the fact that a drive to forge a budget cap in the sport has one again made it commercially viable for his company to be competitive - conditions Richards has consistently held over entering F1. "We are very appreciative of the support we have been given in putting together our entry, not least by both the FIA and FOM," said Richards. "With the help of Dar Capital, in raising the finance, coupled with our understanding of the latest proposals to assist new teams, we now feel the conditions are right to formally request the FIA for an entry. "The level of next year's cost cap has risen substantially since we originally considered entering. However everyone appears committed to major reductions in future years and when one takes into account the transition proposals for new teams we are confident that we now have the opportunity to be both commercially viable and competitive. "As we have said all along, we don't want to be in Formula 1 just to make up the numbers." Prodrive's entry comes 18 months after its last attempt to enter F1 was scuppered by the ban on customer chassis; the team having negotiated a deal to source cars from McLaren. The link with McLaren could remain this time around in the form of a technical partnership, although details of the engine package are still yet to be revealed. Force India has similar ties to McLaren in the current season, and uses engines from Mercedes-Benz. Finance for the project has been assisted by Middle-East-based finance, logistics and property company Dar, which formed the backbone of the Richards-led conglomerate that paid $925 million for a majority stake in Aston Martin in 2007. Assuming that the team's entry is accepted, it will mark Richards' return to the F1 paddock for the first time since 2004, when he was stood down as team principal of BAR following the team's purchase by Honda. Prior to his three-year stint with BAR he'd served for one year as director of Benetton F1 in 1997. Carol ONLY THREE SPOTS AVAILABLE --- WONDER WHO WILL GET CUT?????? MOOT POINT IF TOYOTA BAILS.
So that means right now there will be 13 teams (Current 10 + USF1 + Prodrive + Lola + Campos - Toyota). I like the idea of a fuller grid, but why instead do I get visions of the late 80s/early 90s with a lot of these dogpoop backmarker teams?
If you look at the current difference in qualifying from #1 to #20, their really isn't much difference. Most of the difference relates to budgets, windtunnel time, etc. Maybe with restricted budgets, the dogpoop backmarkers may not be the teams you expect.
You may have a sixth sense. The new teams won't be backmarkers though, they'll be moving chicanes for the real F1 teams to have to navigate through every race...big difference.
That's great!! New teams - here's what I found for them and a few of my thoughts: Campos - http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.camposracing.com/&ei=WkUgSqDfKZaqtge82L3YBg&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcampos%2Bracing%26hl%3Den **they currently have three big sponsors; are racing in European Open F3 - promising perhaps; website supports their racing efforts - they would be my third choice. Lola - http://www.lolacars.com/ **they are producing some stunning LMP1 and LMP2 coupes; very nice website - very professional; nice section about innovation on website - Hope they make it, they are my second choice. ProDrive - http://www.prodrive.com/ ** fantastic website, great cars, winning cars, already have announcement up on their site about F1 entry submission, VERY professional - They should do well - I would suspect a good driver line-up from Richards - This team gets my vote for the best one to succeed. USF1 - is really USGPE (Bernie said no to US F1) - NO website **NO website, only says is coming soon (not good IMO for them not to have something!) they want to promote the banner "made in America", why aren't they going to use an engine from the US? . .defeats the "Made in America" approach. Not very much impressed by this team - has the NASCAR element IMO (hype, driver potential, potential marketing - people in the US know roundy-round) - last choice of teams that submitted entries. Carol
Hey Carol. Yes IMO, it appears that 3 out of the 4 newbies have a good possibility of being backmarkers...if they make it at all. ProDrive has a good website...not certain that's indicative of a winning F1 team but you never know? Seriously though, ProDrive also gets my vote for the team with the best chance of not being a backmarker. As they say though..."the proof is in the pudding".
