No Prodrive in 2008
November 27th 2007 01:35
F1 plans put on hold for Prodrive
Boss of the new team, David Richards hoped to enter the 2008 championship with a ‘customer car’ supplied by McLaren – but the lack of a new Concorde Agreement has left the Banbury-based squad in the cold. .
The existing Concorde Agreement prohibits the use of cars manufactured by other constructors and then sold to a different team, a detail which had Spyker and Williams at war with Super Aguri and Scuderia Toro Rosso earlier this year.
FIA President Max Mosely has long been insistent on scrapping the law for the new Concorde Agreement, which will take effect from next season onwards.
But, while a new Agreement has been brokered – no signatures appear on any dotted lines as yet – which means time has run out for Prodrive to officially compete next season.
A last-minute legal challenge from Williamswhich questionedthe change to allow the controversial ‘customer car’ rule is attributed with being the final hurdle that led to Prodrive eventual demise.
"The new Concorde agreement has been repeatedly delayed," Richards told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport magazine.
"We asked the FIA to be able to start mid-way through the season, and our request was rejected," he said, "So for 2008 there is not a realistic chance of there being a Prodrive F1 team."
However, the former BAR team boss is still confident of fielding his own team in F1 in the future, possibly 2009.
"We must wait for the new Concorde; only then can we fully assess our options," he said.
"Our ambition is still to be in F1."
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