Thirteenth team 2010: BMW, Lotus or Epsilon?

BMW Sauber, Lotus, and Epsilon Euskadi are the three teams currently being evaluated to join the 2010 Formula 1 grid. The FIA is currently deliberating to appoint the 13th team and is expected to decide in the coming days on the name of the chosen one.

BMW-Sauber is currently looking for a buyer while Lotus is reportedly backed by the Malaysian government according to the latest information. Epsilon had to adjust its financing after being rejected in the first round earlier in the summer against Manor GP, USF1, and Campos Meta.

FIA president Max Mosley said on Friday that an announcement would be made about the name of the 13th team after the Italian Grand Prix taking place this weekend: « Finally, last night we received the final bids from the three teams best suited to enter the 2010 championship. Over the next two days, we will study and evaluate these applications to choose one of them, » Mosley said in Monza on Friday. « I expect an announcement early next week. »

Mosley added that BMW-Sauber had requested more time than initially expected to present its plans for 2010: “BMW-Sauber is one of the three teams. It is effectively a new team because it has not signed the Concorde Agreement,” he explained. “We were asked to provide them with an additional week to finalize their documentation and address the supplementary questions posed to them.”

Mosley stated that he had no doubt that the three new teams, namely Manor Grand Prix, Campos Meta, and USF1, are all on the right track to be effectively present on the grids in 2010: « Everything is going well for them. I think the Cosworth engine will surprise a few people. »

The Briton also responded to rumors regarding the USF1 cars not being ready on time: « That’s the rumor. We have sent people there and that is absolutely not the case. Someone will be sent again at the beginning of October. There are all kinds of rumors about them, but they say they are very serious, so we have to believe them. »