Richards planning F1 return

UPDATE David Richards' speculated return to formula one is heating up, according to reports.

'The Guardian' newspaper in Britain says the former BAR-Honda principal, who may be planning his own 'Prodrive' squad for 2008, made a 'key move within his senior management team' this week.

Prodrive 'sources' report that David Lapworth, who last week left the Subaru world rally team, will assume a 'senior' role in setting up Richards' grand prix project, according to the 'paper.

The Guardian's Alan Henry wrote: ''Richards has recently held talks with Bernie Ecclestone and … Max Mosley about the detail of sporting, technical and commercial arrangements for the (2008) formula one world championship.''

02/27/06 Former F1 team boss David Richards is reportedly close to finalizing his return to the sport in time for 2008. According to autosport.com, Richards is close to announcing the formation of the Prodrive Formula One team. The former BAR-Honda boss has met with both FIA president Max Mosley and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to discuss what the rules would look like after 2007. Richards has indicated in the past that he would like to get back into Formula One, provided the rules made it more financially viable for independent teams to take part in the series.