Gene Haas, who already heads his own NASCAR outfit in the United States, has had his application to enter a team in the Formula One world championship accepted, the FIA confirmed on Friday.
The FIA's World Motor Sport Council, meeting in Marrakech, also said that other high-standard applications had been submitted and that they are in the process of further examining another potential new team, Forza Rossa.
Haas, 61, will bring plenty of experience to Formula One when his team lines up for a planned 2015 start.
The Stewart-Haas Racing won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2011, whilst Haas Automation, founded in 1983 and based in California, is the largest machine tool builder in the western world.
"Obviously, we're extremely pleased to have been granted a Formula One license by the FIA," said Haas.
"It's an exciting time for me, Haas Automation and anyone who wanted to see an American team return to Formula One.
"Now, the really hard work begins. It's a challenge we embrace as we work to put cars on the grid. I want to thank the FIA for this opportunity and the diligence everyone put forth to see our license application come to fruition."
The meeting also examined the ongoing controversy over F1's turbo V6 engines whose quiet purr has been widely lambasted by fans as well as the sport's ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone.
The power units' level of noise -- or lack of it -- will be studied with preliminary results expected shortly.
Source: AFP
