Stefan GP

[Pup]

I wonder if Anderson is using the entry as a bargaining tool with Todt. That is, he'll sell the entry to Stephan only if he's guaranteed a 2011 spot.

Personally, I can't see Todt being that desperate to get Stephan a slot, if he wants them at all. But it's worth considering.

[xpensive]

I wonder if Anderson is using the entry as a bargaining tool with Todt. That is, he'll sell the entry to Stephan only if he's guaranteed a 2011 spot.

Personally, I can't see Todt being that desperate to get Stephan a slot, if he wants them at all. But it's worth considering.

I can't for the life of me visualize the President bargaining with someone who made the FIA look this stupid?

[McMacca]

I'm all for then running this year, IF they have 2 cars and 2 drivers why not?

FIA should have offered the new teams a slot on the provision they make the second test at the latest, and had one company on stand by to take over should a situation like this occur.
FIA should have been in a position to realise USF1 were never going to make it and asked SGP (or whoever ended up with the nominated backup slot) to the final test (with USF1's tyre allocation) and then made a decision.

Should all preferred teams make the grid then the backup team should have been allowed to participate in ALL Free Practice sessions over the year at their discretion or withdraw completely. This decision would need a time limit (pull out by GB race maybe) so that if another tender is required for the following year, it can be conducted in a timely manner.

I really think Todt and crew need to look at this kind of entrance plan as I'm sure we are heading into a time of low budget teams that might come and go after just a couple of seasons, and a full grid is what we all want.

This way even a backup team can get miles if they desire on the car in prep for 2011 without having to go looking for 2nd hand tyres.

[WhiteBlue]

I wonder if Anderson is using the entry as a bargaining tool with Todt. That is, he'll sell the entry to Stephan only if he's guaranteed a 2011 spot.

Personally, I can't see Todt being that desperate to get Stephan a slot, if he wants them at all. But it's worth considering.

I bet that Jean Todt has no interest whatsoever to see Stefanovich's outfit on the race tracks. Bernie may have, but not the FiA. To rubber stamp all those provocations and rule bending by Stefanovich will only serve to weaken the position of the FiA as the sport's authority.

I'm all for then running this year, IF they have 2 cars and 2 drivers why not?

FIA should have offered the new teams a slot on the provision they make the second test at the latest, and had one company on stand by to take over should a situation like this occur.

The FiA cannot tell teams to go ahead and spend serious money like 20 or 30 million $ and then tell them they have no slot. They obviously also do not want to go back to pre qualifying at individual races.

The solution lies in a temporary license which is subject to continuous controlling or due dilligence.

Another option would be a final shoot out in early winter testing for all participants who have passed the due dilligence and want to enter. That way teams would have to build one car to qualify but would not have to build a complete racing organization if they do not make the cut.

There is also the matter of the irregularity of the 2009 selection process. As a special strategic requirement successfull applicants had to have a Cosworth contract in place. That will not be an item in future licensing as Cosworth are now well established.

[Ganxxta]

"Official FIA entry list now out. US F1 have dropped out, but there are now just 12 teams with no place for Stefan GP"

"FIA confirms that there will be no replacement for US F1 in 2010. Application process for available slot(s) for 2011 to be announced soon"

via twitter (Edd Straw-Autosport Editor)

[axle]

Yep it's done.

StefanGP have to go testing for a year and win the right to race in 2011...I hope they do that and not just give up.

But they will now have to fight others for the right...

24 cars is still better than 18!!

[jddh1]

They better start testing with a single decker diffuser. IF they do it right, they might be a solid bet for the championship next year. (Hope they get tires.)

[nacho]

I wonder if their pockets can handle a year of testing and development without actually being an F1 team.

[horse]

They better start testing with a single decker diffuser. IF they do it right, they might be a solid bet for the championship next year. (Hope they get tires.)

You would think if they can run a testing programme this year, then they would have a strong case to join the grid (if they can secure some funding streams). There is a precedent for testing on GP2 tyres, right?

I wonder if their pockets can handle a year of testing and development without actually being an F1 team.

I don't know how realistic this is, but they were talking about a sort of "pay and play" system for prospective F1 drivers. Don't know what sort of revenue that would bring?

[WhiteBlue]

I think that the FiA have also pulled the USF1 license. At least that is what I would have done to make sure the 12 team entry list is final and not a joke.

Neither USF1 nor Stefanovic should really make the cut next year when they are up against Prodrive, Lola and some other serious competitors who will all have a full year to prepare an entry. Next time there will probably be only one slot but there will also be a much better context for the subscription:

• no FiA/FOTA war
• no negotiations over a new concord
• no need to establish an independent engine supplier
• experience with the selection to improve the due dilligence
• tighter resource restrictions for the big teams

So one can be optimistic that the 2011 selection will run much smoother and produce a much stronger candidate than the last selection. This time round the teams will have a large say in the F1 commission and they will not be more inclined to be embarassed than the FiA. So Stefanovich will not have more luck with the horse wisperer than he had with the ex boss of the dream team.

[pipex]

I don't know how realistic this is, but they were talking about a sort of "pay and play" system for prospective F1 drivers. Don't know what sort of revenue that would bring?

I imagine that this could work, for example established teams could pay some amount of money to train their reserve drivers, but before SGP commits to this scheme they should know if there is a interest for this. If SGP doesn't do this they will be only burning money for nothing in the worst-case scenario that they won't be granted an entry for 2011.

[McMacca]

The FiA cannot tell teams to go ahead and spend serious money like 20 or 30 million $ and then tell them they have no slot. They obviously also do not want to go back to pre qualifying at individual races.

No one wants pre-qualifying, right?

we have to look at the specific entry of SGP here (in this thread at least) its just the toyota cars, as the MGP is Brawn and Sauber is the BMW. In the real world no one can spend 20 - 30 million willy nilly but to believe 4 teams were all going to manage to make the grid from scratch in just a few months was just stupid. It could be argued that USF1 should have been best placed having announced their intentions as early as march 09 (i think).

What if USF1 had been allowed to 'avoid' the testing ban by bringing one car to 2009 events and getting some miles in before 2010? Would this have spurred their sponsors on? Would this have allowed them to evaluate drivers? ? ?
(I note this would be better for European based competitors)

Right now who will bet on Renault staying beyond 2010? RB are already doubting it. So why not have SGP test at some events?

As a side note is their a maximum grid size (in theory) or will it be defined by the circuits currently visited (pit capacity)?

[The_Man]

It also requires approval from the other formula one teams currently on the list this is very unlikely. I can't imagine a team like lotus giving SGP a go ahead as they will potentially rob them of many points. Also for the higher end teams it is just more back markers that can easily cause them to loose lap times or even worse crash into.

Still like everything else in the world even in Formula One surprisingly economics rule over passions.

[Fil]

The whole argument against the FIA not letting StefanGP race, just because they didn't succeed thru the tender process is flawed..

how did the privateer team BMW-Sauber Ferrari get in for 2010? BMW canceled the team's license, which the FIA passed onto the 1st substitute Lotus.
Later the FIA gave Peter Sauber the entry with no tender process whatsoever.


Precedent set.

[raceman]

FIA says: I am the King, so listen to me