Richards and Prodrive hesitate for an entry in 2010

The current struggle between Formula 1 teams and the FIA is affecting David Richards’ progress in entering his team into the 2010 championship.

The former boss of Benetton and BAR has considered a budget cap for the entry next year of Prodrive associated with Aston Martin or with funding from the Middle East.

But with the threat of the big teams withdrawing from the sport if the regulations are not changed, Richards does not want to commit until the situation has stabilized. The problem once again is this May 29th date, which is the deadline to submit his application for 2010.

« We are very concerned about the controversy between the existing teams and the FIA, it creates uncertainty, » he admitted to GPWeek.

« It is important for us and our partners that a certain stability prevails in the sport. The current situation strongly influences our decision-making process for submitting a bid for 2010, » added Richards.

Given the uncertainty and the teams’ threats, it is likely that by May 29th, only three or four teams will be able to effectively meet the FIA’s requirements.

But that does not mean there will only be six or eight cars on the Melbourne grid next year. The date of May 29 is not locked in. A spokesperson for the FIA confirmed that registrations after this date « will be accepted with additional fees. »

Of course, given the ongoing talks with existing teams, nothing prevents the FIA from postponing the official application submission deadline. This would allow everyone time to assess the situation and submit their applications in complete tranquility without the current sense of uncertainty prevailing in the F1 world.