FIA reject new team applications

Date published : 08 Sep 2010 - 16:00:53

Formula One's governing body has ruled out the possibility of a new team joining the grid in 2011.

In March the FIA invited parties interested in becoming the sport's 13th team to come forward, but the governing body has deemed none of the expressions of interest to be strong enough to warrant inclusion on the entry list. The sport was left with a void to fill following the collapse of the fledgling US F1 team prior to the start of this season.

A joint venture involving 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve and Italian constructor Durango, and an application from Epsilon Euskadi had been among the front-running candidates to be awarded the slot.

"Following the press release of 19 March 2010 calling for expressions of interest to participate in the 2011 and 2012 seasons of the FIA Formula One World Championship, a number of interested parties expressed their interest," an FIA statement read.

"It was considered that none of the candidates met the requirements to be granted an entry into the Championship.

"Consequently, the allocation of the 13th team will not be granted."

Meanwhile, the WMSC confirmed the F1 calendar for next season, which runs to a record 20 races and features a new grand prix at Delhi in India, which remains subject to final FIA approval.

The 2011 season will be a gruelling one for the F1 fraternity, with the opening race held in Bahrain on March 13 and the finale in Brazil on November 27 - eight and a half months later.

There will, however, be a four-week break between the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 31 and the German Grand Prix on August 28.