2010 F1: FIA grants Lotus F1 slot while BMW-Sauber finds a buyer. So who gets in?
Here is some links to all the news.
Lotus granted 13th entry for 2010
By Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, September 15th 2009, 08:14 GMT
Johnny Herbert, Lotus, Pacific GP 1994The Lotus F1 team has been awarded the 13th entry in the 2010 Formula 1 championship, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
The FIA said it had also received an "impressive" application from the BMW Sauber team, but given the uncertainty about the ownership of the Hinwil squad the governing body decided to give the entry to Lotus.
BMW was, however, given the "14th place" in case any vacancy arises on the 2010 grid.
The governing body added the it will look into expanding the grid to 14 teams, "consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first Grand Prix in 2010."
As revealed by AUTOSPORT earlier this month, the Lotus entry will be backed a company called 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn Bhd, with Tony Fernandes as team principal. Fernandes is the founder and CEO of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, owner of the Air Asia airline.
The FIA said Mike Gascoyne will be the team's technical director and that Lotus will use Cosworth engines.
The company is a partnership between the Malaysian government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs. The Lotus name will return to Formula 1 as a constructor for the first time since 1994.
Lotus will be initially based at the RTN facility in Norfolk, UK, some 10 miles from the Lotus Cars factory. The 50,000 square foot facility was originally built by Toyota for its initial Formula 1 programme and then used by Bentley for its Le Mans programme.
The team's future design, R&D, manufacturing and technical centre will be built at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit.
Lotus aims to be the best of new teams
By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, September 15th 2009, 13:13 GMT
Mike GascoyneLotus technical director Mike Gascoyne is targeting his Formula 1 team becoming the best of the new outfits in 2010, after getting the green light for its entry on Tuesday.
The new Lotus F1 Team has beaten BMW Sauber to the 13th slot on next year's grid, and marks a historic return to the sport for the iconic name.
And although the FIA approval of Lotus's plans has come late in the year, leaving the team in a race against time to get ready for 2010, Gascoyne is sure it can still make an impact.
"It will be a big challenge to get on the grid, but certainly by mid-season I think we would clearly like to be the best of the new teams, and by the end of the year I would hope we have broken into the top ten overall," he told AUTOSPORT.
Gascoyne is overjoyed by the decision of the FIA, which comes after many weeks of efforts to secure funding from Malaysia - and get the approval for the country's road car manufacturer Proton to make a marketing push with the Lotus name.
"For me it is fantastic news," said Gascoyne. "I have had nearly a year out, which has been frustrating, but this is now a tremendous challenge. But with the team that Tony Fernandes has put together, and the backing of the Malaysian government, it has the opportunity to be something really big. We are aiming to take this team to the very top level in the long term."
Gascoyne had been part of the original Litespeed plans to get Lotus back into F1 earlier this year, but it failed to make it on the original shortlist of 13 teams that was originally picked in July.
However, despite missing out then, Gascoyne kept working on the plans – and, as AUTOSPORT revealed earlier this month, revived the Lotus plans with the support of the Malaysian government – and is now pushing flat out to get its car ready.
"Things are very tight," he said. "We are aiming at the second week of February for the roll-out, and we have got a huge amount of work considering we are starting from nothing.
"One of the good things with Tony Fernandes and the Malaysian backing is that it is a very well-funded thing. We have got a very big aero programme in place with Fondtech and Jean-Claude Migeot, and we will be expanding that. The first half of the season will be tight, but it is a great challenge."
And Gascoyne has admitted that there are special emotions both reviving the Lotus name and setting up work at a factory in his local Norfolk.
"We are based at the RTN factory and I went to school about four miles down the road," said Gascoyne. "I was born and bred in Norfolk, and there is a bit of emotion about it.
"It is the same for Malaysia, with the Proton and Lotus tie-up. It brings a famous name back into F1, and it is a good story for F1. We are not pretending to be the old Team Lotus. We are the new Lotus F1 team."
BMW finds buyer for Formula 1 team
By Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, September 15th 2009, 11:08 GMT
BMW has announced that the Qadbak Investments company has agreed to purchase the Formula 1 team based in Hinwil.
The German company had revealed earlier this year that it will quit Formula 1 at the end of the season, and had been in talks with interested parties since then.
On Tuesday, BMW said it had signed the contract to sell the team to Qadbak, a Swiss-based foundation which represents the interests of certain Middle East and European-based families.
"A strong investor has therefore been found for the Hinwil-based team," BMW said in a statement.
"Qadbak's interest in the team will be represented by Lionel Fischer, a Swiss national. BMW wishes Qadbak and the Sauber Team every success for the 2010 season and beyond."
The sale of the team coincides with the FIA having announced the 13th entry for the 2010 championship went to the Lotus outfit, with BMW as a possible 14th entry in case a current team fails to race next year.
The FIA also said it would talk to the teams about the possibility of increasing the grid size to 28 cars to allow the Hinwil squad to race next year.
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