Pridrive, run by former Benetton and BAR team boss David Richards, will enter
Formula One in 2008 as a new 12th team on the starting grid.
The sport's governing body, the International Automobile Federation,
published its list of accepted entrants yesterday with all 11 current teams on
it as well as the British-based newcomers.
Former Benetton and
BAR team boss David Richards.[sports.cz] |
"This is wonderful news for everyone in the company," Richards said in a
statement.
"We have won World Rally Championships, British Touring Car titles and the
GT1 class at Le Mans, and have been saying for some time that we would also like
to be in Formula One with our own Prodrive team. We are now one step closer."
Twenty two teams had applied for the 12 slots in a championship to be run
under new rules after the expiry of the existing commercial agreement at the end
of 2007.
"Prodrive has the best combination of financial backing, technical capability
and motorsport experience and is well known to the FIA through its participation
in the World Rally Championship," FIA President Max Mosley said.
"Also, Prodrive's chief executive, David Richards, has experience as a
Formula One team principal."
Mosley said the sport was unlikely to increase beyond 12 teams, the most
since 1997, for reasons of safety and because it would be difficult to enlarge
circuit facilities.
Richards controls the commercial rights to the World Rally Championship while
his Banbury-based company run Subaru's world rally team, the Aston Martin Le
Mans sportscar team and compete in Australian V8 supercars with Ford.
Richards led BAR, now Honda, to second place in the Formula One
manufacturers' championship in 2004 and was principal of Benetton in 1998.
Mosley said there had been no reason not to accept the current teams as they
were already in the championship and had shown their ability to compete
effectively.
Unsuccessful entrants included former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart, a
McLaren-backed Direxiv team headed by former racer Jean Alesi and British
Formula Three frontrunners Carlin Motorsport.
Mosley said he was not surprised by the level of interest, with new
regulations proposed to reduce the costs of competing significantly.
"What pleased me most was the high caliber of entries received. With this
kind of demand Formula One has a bright future," he declared.
"The 2008 Sporting Regulations have reduced the cost of competing and should
improve the sporting spectacle at the same time. It makes for a very attractive
prospect."
Richards, who is seeking planning permission to build a new factory, was
confident the rule changes would allow Prodrive to compete against the wealthy
manufacturers, but warned that securing an entry was just the start.
"We now have less than two years to build a team and put two competitive cars
on the starting grid for the first race of the 2008 championship," he said.
"The task is enormous and the expertise and experience
of the established teams well recognized. However, Prodrive has more than 20
years of motorsport experience and all of us relish a challenge."