FIA re-opens team selection process for BMW's F1 slot

[Giuseppe F1]

This is going to be INTERESTING!

The onec making the most noise of late has been Epsilon Euskadi but Dave Richards/Prodrive have said they are still intereted if the 'conditions are right' - I think this latter point means if customer cars become available.

Imagine if Prodrive reapply again are are turned away again....for the THIRD time?!!

Thing is here, if a prospective team wins the space who doesnt want/need the BMW premises, seems alot if not all the employees may be made redundant.

In the UK, alot of the team members would otherwise float around to other teams, in the case for say when Arrows or Super Aguri went under - all being based in Switzerland, that becomes a bit harder I guess...


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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77595

FIA re-opens team selection process

By Simon Strang
Saturday, August 8th 2009, 11:26 GMT

FIA, ParisThe FIA has re-opened the selection procedure for the final place on the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship entry list, in the wake of BMW's announcement that it is withdrawing from the sport at the end of the year.

AUTOSPORT understands that yesterday, FIA president Max Mosley wrote to the seven teams on the 'reserve list' - those under consideration for a place on the grid that did not receive an automatic entry in July - as well as BMW Sauber, to inform them that a place on the grid has become available.

Peter Sauber is still working with BMW to put a rescue package in place for the team he is a 20% partner in, but the Swiss was not able to secure the necessary funding in time to meet last Wednesday's deadline to sign the new Concorde Agreement.

Therefore, while sources suggest that Sauber is making progress to secure the budget to save his eponymous outfit, the FIA is inviting whatever BMW Sauber should become to tender its application alongside the other seven hopefuls selected from the original 15 applications, to pitch for the final place on the grid.

Epsilon Euskadi has already signalled its intention to re-apply, while David Richards' Prodrive outfit is believed still to be interested should the conditions be right to enter F1.

Epsilon Team boss Joan Villadelprat told AUTOSPORT last week: "We are still working on the project, at a much slower rate obviously because we don't have the security [to be on the grid].

"What we can say is that the people who were interested in helping us are still interested, which is something incredible. And if the opportunity arises, we are going to attack it, there's no doubts about it."

[I am evil Homer]

Wrong location for Prodrive i think....they always wanted to run everything from their current location. Not to say they wouldn't do it, afert all everything is in place to get going for 2010.

[Giuseppe F1]

Wrong location for Prodrive i think....they always wanted to run everything from their current location. Not to say they wouldn't do it, afert all everything is in place to get going for 2010.

I think whoever gets the space can do/be based wherever they wish.

If BMW wish to save the staff, they will need to be successful in this re-selection process or thats it I think

[Giuseppe F1]

AUTOSPORT understands that yesterday, FIA president Max Mosley wrote to the seven teams on the 'reserve list'

Who are the 7 teams on the reserve list?


1) Epison Euskadi
2) Prodrive
3) Lola
4) Superfund
5) iSport
6) N.Technology
7) Litespeed/Lotus

????????????????????????/




Didnt Lola release a press release saying they were officially closing their bid? Would this change things for them? From what I read they were well advanced with windtunnel models and had apparently hired alot of staff?

Seems Epsilon have been making the most noise in recent days about still going for an entry - would still love to see it go to either Prodrive or Lola however -

Autosport ran an artists impression of a Prodrive/AstonMartin branded F1 car in a mock-up Gulf livery back in the Spring when it was first rumoured they were interested in re-entering F1 - must admit seeing that Gulf livery in F1 and Aston Martins running against Ferrari's would be pretty special.

I could imagine Steinmetz diamonds swapping their Monaco sponsorship deals to an Aston Martin team from McLaren Mercedes in a whole Aston Martin, James Bond 007, diamond bling tie-in! :)

But have to say, a 'Gulf Prodrive Aston Martin' does look super:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3450/3800201643_489860160e_b.jpg

[Sonic]

Groan. Not this again! It wasn't transparent enough the first time and now the "rejects" are being given another chance.

Surely the FIA would have ranked the previous entries and could simply offer the slot to the 4th placed prospective team?

Or is it just another time delaying ploy to allow BMW to get their act together and save the team?

[Bagwan]

Is a Cosworth in the back necessary for entry ?
It was last time .

[Robinho]

this is all a bit of a mess again isn't it - any rescue deral for BMW-Sauber would be dependent on a guaranteed slot on the grid, so you'd assume if a rescue deal is made in time for this selection process then they'd be given 1st refusal on what is effectively their place - BMW will look pretty stupid seeing as they seem to have scuppered the deal for Sauber to save the team that would have seen them in time to sign the new concodre deal and guaranteed commercial income that comes with it.

now seemingly the team isn't even safe for their own slot if they still want it and we could end up with a new team based in UK/Spain or elsewhere with a redunant state of the art facility and satff in Switzerland/Germany - genius.

[maximilian]

Yet another reason to scrap the ridiculous and arbitrary 13-team limit, and let every serious/qualified/funded team have a stab at it. Especially if FOTA already flaunted the "third car/36 car grid" concept a short while ago.

[Sonic]

we could end up with a new team based in UK/Spain or elsewhere with a redunant state of the art facility and satff in Switzerland/Germany - genius.

Hardly logical is it?!


Yet another reason to scrap the ridiculous and arbitrary 13-team limit, and let every serious/qualified/funded team have a stab at it. Especially if FOTA already flaunted the "third car/36 car grid" concept a short while ago.

Agreed. If FOTA are happy to run 3 cars and increase the grid then surely if there is enough interest just keep everyone at a maximum of 2 cars and let whoever manages to turn up at a GP with a car and an engine have a go a qualifying.

[jens]

Considering that there isn't really that much time left before 2010 season, it doesn't make much sense to give a slot to a completely new team. It could end up like another MasterCard Lola case, who started rushing with their F1 project from somewhere like December'96 (?).

Better wait and hope that someone will buy that Hinwil base, which has already been working on their 2010 challenger. Honda was given a fair amount of time to sort out their future - why not give the same time to BMW-Sauber?

[CNR]

can they do it with Sauber (BMW) entered to race next years ?
what happens if partners can be found for sauber

[race_director]

Now since the slot will be filled up by FIA . that means BMW will get no money for the team. would have been better if they had sold the team to sauber . atleast they would have got some money ??

[Copse]

Can a moderator please remove the word "OFFICIAL:" from the thread title?

"AUTOSPORT understands that..." and an interview in Bild Zeitung does not make it official. That makes it "Max says: team-selection process reopened..." Huge difference.

[Saint Devote]

Dave Richards is a no-brainer selection.

He is the only that has shown in f1 what he can do. The quality of Pro-Drive is well known.

Pity is that a buyer for Sauber [As someone that remembers Sauber from the days of those iconic BASAF liveried sportscars it is really sad that the team will so undeservedly disappear and I understadn fully Peter Sauber's copmments] cannot be found and Richards' lot cannot be added as well.

[woody2goody]

I know they aren't on the list, but you never know about SUPER AGURI.

Out of the teams ON the list, I'd like Prodrive, Lola or Epsilon to get in.

[Bagwan]

OK , so , if a team is allowed in , and is not required to use Cosworth engines , as they were in the original vetting process , does it strengthen the case that N.Technology has against the FIA ?

Since Beamer is out entirely , does the game change , or do the same conditions apply ?

Curious , I think , is the fact that we have not heard a peep from manufacturers of other customer engines , all who presumably lost out on potential contracts , as well as customer testing mileage , which we know to be very important .

[race_director]

OK , so , if a team is allowed in , and is not required to use Cosworth engines , as they were in the original vetting process , does it strengthen the case that N.Technology has against the FIA ?

Since Beamer is out entirely , does the game change , or do the same conditions apply ?

Curious , I think , is the fact that we have not heard a peep from manufacturers of other customer engines , all who presumably lost out on potential contracts , as well as customer testing mileage , which we know to be very important .


i do not think that FIA will try to play the same cosworth engine gig with the new team coming in instead of BMW. they very well know that there gig is open on street now and EU is ready to screw them if they try it the 2nd time .
well ur BAGWAN . u know all things happening in the world :)

[Saint Devote]

There never was a requirement to use Cosworth anyway.

Peter Windsor quoted verse and chapter in a recent interview when questioned.

[truefan72]

There never was a requirement to use Cosworth anyway.

Peter Windsor quoted verse and chapter in a recent interview when questioned.

you must be working for the FIA PR department

'cause your statement runs counter to all the facts.

[ArrowsFA1]

Is a Cosworth in the back necessary for entry ?
It was last time .

There never was a requirement to use Cosworth anyway.
GP Week (http://mag.gpweek.com/) say that "recent comments attributed to Prodrive boss Dave Richards that his team was only denied an F1 entry because it refused to change its engine supplier from Mercedes to Cosworth may not stand it in the best stead with FIA President Max Mosley."

Autosport reported (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76907) "claims that some of the rejected teams were unhappy about being told they needed to run Cosworth engines if their entry was going to be accepted."

Now claims and attributed comments are not conclusive, and the fact that it was rejected teams making these claims does raise doubts, but that is countered by Max's well known, and recently discovered, aversion to manufacturers.

There may not have been a stated requirement to use the Cosworth, but there are ways and means...And which of the already accepted teams are not planning to run the Cosworth engine?

[I am evil Homer]

All I know this the process for whoever gets the slot will be neither transparent or using any sort of commom sense criteria. Otherwise by now Prodrive would have an F1 entry confirmed.

[Copse]

All I know this the process for whoever gets the slot will be neither transparent or using any sort of commom sense criteria. Otherwise by now Prodrive would have an F1 entry confirmed.

I agree with the first part of that. However, I am surprised at how rarely it is brought up that Prodrive signed up for last season, but did not show. If I was calling in tenders for any sort of event or business, somebody who got the job two years before but just decided not to appear would go right to the bottom of the list. Won't be fooled twice...

[ioan]

This 13th slot should be Sauber's and I hope he manages to get it all together.

[ClarkFan]

This 13th slot should be Sauber's and I hope he manages to get it all together.
Well, unless there is a hot alternative offer for the physical facility, BMW management would have to be brain dead not to sign the team over to Sauber. Something, no matter how small, beats nothing......

ClarkFan

[ArrowsFA1]

I agree with the first part of that. However, I am surprised at how rarely it is brought up that Prodrive signed up for last season, but did not show. If I was calling in tenders for any sort of event or business, somebody who got the job two years before but just decided not to appear would go right to the bottom of the list. Won't be fooled twice...
Not so sure Prodrive simply "decided not to appear". When they originally announced their intention to enter F1 customer cars were all the rage and Prodrive had a deal ready to go with McLaren-Mercedes. Then the goalposts moved and customer cars were not acceptable.

This time around they had a deal in place to run Mercedes engines and, blow me down, they don't get a place on the grid.

Something makes me think, whatever they do, they will not get a place on the F1 grid until things within the FIA change, and that despite being a team that has a well established history of success in many different areas of motorsport over more than two decades. If they're not "qualified" to race in F1 who is?

[V12]

I agree with those who'd rather open the entry list out completely, and let any incompetent teams DNQ their way to the exit door. Worked for god knows how many years. Franchising is for American ball sports.