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USF1 team seek to defer entry for a year

LONDON - The troubled USF1 team have asked to defer their Formula One debut for a year to 2011, team principal Ken Anderson said on Tuesday.

“We have applied to the FIA (International Automobile Federation) to hold our entry until 2011,” he told the autosport.com website. “We are waiting for a reply from the FIA and are working with them.

“In the meantime, there is nothing for the employees to do, so we have told them to stop working on the current car until we have a decision.”

The governing body, who sent F1 race director Charlie Whiting on a fact-finding visit to the team factory last week, is expected to announce a final entry list in the next day or two for the season starting in Bahrain next week.

USF1, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, are one of four new teams handed a slot on the starting grid for 2010 after checks by the governing body, but have struggled to raise finance and are in no position to race.

They had announced in January that Argentina’s Jose Maria Lopez would drive for them in a deal backed by that country’s government.

The Serbian-backed Stefan GP team, who have taken over the cars designed by Toyota before that Japanese manufacturer pulled out at the end of last year, have been lobbying hard to take USF1’s place.

“SGP would like to re-confirm its desire and...its ability to compete in the whole of the FIA 2010 Formula One World Championship,” the team said on their website (www.stefangp.com) at the weekend.

“It recognises that this can only happen with the consent of the FIA and the FOM (commercial rights holder), but has faith that the Formula One ‘family’ will make the correct decision in the end.”

The FIA could, however, decide to limit the 2010 championship to 12 teams and open bids for next year.