The FIA has confirmed that David Richards' Prodrive outfit has been accepted
as the 12th team entry for the 2008 championship. The sports' governing body
received 22 entries for 2008, including former team bosses Paul Stoddart and
Eddie Jordan, but ex-BAR (now Honda) chief Richards got the nod.
"Prodrive has the best combination of financial backing, technical
capability and motor sport experience and is well known to the FIA through
its participation in the World Rally Championship," said FIA president Max
Mosley. "Also, Prodrive's chief executive, David Richards, has experience as
a Formula One team principal."
Mosley confirmed that all of the current 11 teams had submitted entries and
an additional 11. Further financial commitment and motorsport experience
information was requested from the candidates and a fax vote of the World
Motor Sport Council gave Prodrive the 12th entry.
"The World Council concurred that there was no reason not to accept the
current teams as they are already in the championship and have confirmed
their ability to compete effectively," Mosley added. "Prodrive was chosen
mainly because of its financial position, capabilities and experience."
Richards, naturally, was delighted: "This is wonderful news for everyone in
the company," he said. "We always wanted to be in Formula One with our own
Prodrive team and now we are one step closer.
We now have less than two years to build a team and put two competitive
cars on the starting grid. The task is enormous but we relish the
challenge."
The limit of 12 teams for 2008 was imposed due to circuit facilities and
commercial considerations, and the limit is unlikely to increase in the
future. "It would be very difficult to enlarge the facilities and we would
also have to look very carefully at the safety issue," Mosley said.
Not only Sotddart and Jordan were hopefuls for 2008; reportedly ex-drivers
Eddie Irvine and Jean Alesi were on the list, along with former MF1 sporting
director Trevor Carlin. Mosley said the unsuccessful applicants could still
have a slight chance.
"We informed all the teams that were not successful, although we did not
tell them which teams were," he commented. "We asked them to keep in touch
in case a vacancy occurred."
Mosley believes the FIA's new rules for 2008 encouraged so many
entries. "The 2008 Sporting Regulations have reduced the cost of competing
and should improve the sporting spectacle at the same time," he said. "It
makes for a very attractive prospect."
2008 entry list
Team/constructor
BMW Sauber F1 Team/Sauber BMW
Honda Racing F1 Team/Honda
MF1 Racing/MF1 tba
Prodrive/Prodrive tba
Red Bull Racing/RBR tba
Mild Seven Renault F1 Team/Renault
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro/Ferrari
Super Aguri F1 Team/Super Aguri Honda
Scuderia Toro Rosso/STR tba
Panasonic Toyota Racing/Toyota
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes/Mercedes
Williams F1 Team/tba
