Latest F1 news in brief
- Senna thinks chances 'good' for 2010 F1 debut
- All eyes on FIA as 2010 entry list looms
- Brabham family takes action against F1 bid
- Benetton rules out returning to F1
- Cosworth not yet confirming F1 return
Senna thinks chances 'good' for 2010 F1 debut
(GMM) Having missed out on the Brawn seat this year, Bruno Senna rates his chances of making his formula one debut in 2010.
The 25-year-old nephew of the late triple world champion Ayrton Senna is currently at Le Mans, where he is preparing to take part in the famous 24 hour sports car race for the first time.
But he told Reuters that his only ambition is to step up to motor racing's premier category as soon as possible.
"I have been talking to a few people, there are good chances in formula one I think next year," the Brazilian, this weekend driving for Team Oreca, said.
Senna added: "The market is going to be a bit more open, there are some contracts that are ending, some teams that are interested in joining formula one. It should be a bit more stable than it was this year really."
He said he is in talks with "more than two teams", but admits that it is not currently a good time for drivers to be making plans for F1 in 2010, given the political turmoil.
"I don't think anyone is confident that they are talking to the right people," said Senna, the 2008 GP2 runner-up. "No one knows who is going to be in and who isn't or whether there is going to be a formula one as it currently stands."
All eyes on FIA as 2010 entry list looms
(GMM) In a mere matter of hours, formula one could be plunged deeper into crisis than at any other time in its nearly sixty-year history.
It is almost inevitable that, having failed to submit unconditional entries for next year's world championship, minimally five current teams – McLaren, BMW, Renault, Toyota and Brawn – will be missing from the 2010 entry list, set to be published by the FIA before lunch.
The Red Bull teams and Ferrari may be included due to existing agreements but against their will, and if so, F1's most famous team is likely to launch immediate legal action.
But whether Ferrari is included or not, if the war is still waging when the FIA document goes out to the press, the die could be cast for the rebel teams to follow through their threat to split and form a breakaway series.
"F1 is about to experience the biggest single shock in its entire history," former team owner and Mosley adversary Paul Stoddart was quoted as saying by the Globe and Mail newspaper.
With the danger of an explosive entry list too high, Max Mosley sat in a last-gasp four-hour meeting with key members of the FOTA alliance on Thursday, at an undisclosed central-London location.
Present with the FIA president were Stefano Domenicali (Ferrari), John Howett (Toyota), Christian Horner (Red Bull) and Ross Brawn, but although it is believed Mosley's stance has been significantly softened of late, yet another meeting broke without a definitive agreement.
A few scenarios for Friday are possible, the first of which unfortunately seems the least likely: an agreement is reached, and as Mosley indicated in his letter to Luca di Montezemolo this week, arrangements are made for a joint declaration of peace.
The second scenario – and unfortunately the most likely – is that Williams, Force India (possibly Ferrari and the Red Bull teams) and multiple new entries are included on the entry list, thereby locking out some or all of the FOTA rebels.
However, even in the absence of a definitive agreement, another option is open to Mosley: granting the FOTA teams provisional 2010 entries, pending the finalization of a solution that seems to be nearing with every day, irrespective of the rigid May 29 and June 12 deadlines.
Another interim option for Mosley would be to leave off the FOTA teams, but with enough vacant spots so that they can lodge unconditional late entries at a later date.
In this case, multiple new entries could be granted only provisional entries.
Brabham family takes action against F1 bid
(GMM) Sir Jack Brabham and his family have followed through their threat to launch legal action after it emerged that a company aims to take their famous surname back to the formula one grid in 2010.
It was announced last week that a German automotive supply company, Formtech, now controls the Brabham Grand Prix Ltd moniker and filed an official team entry for next year.
Former triple world champion Brabham, an Australian who is now 83, founded the outfit in 1960 and it later raced under Bernie Ecclestone's stewardship.
But the Brabham family insisted it is "in no way involved" with Franz Hilmer's new Brabham Grand Prix outfit, and nor was it consulted about the plans.
In a new statement, the Brabham family confirmed that "it has been necessary to commence legal action against Brabham Grand Prix Limited" in order to "protect the family name".
The statement said Formtech did not respond to their proposals to amicably resolve the situation, and that the action will now proceed "irrespective" of whether the team is granted a spot on the FIA's 2010 entry list.
Jack Brabham's family added: "The Brabham name has always been the property of the family and it is sad that once again steps have to be taken to protect it."
Benetton rules out returning to F1
(GMM) A chief of the Benetton company has ruled out taking the Italian fashion brand back to formula one.
The Benetton family bought the Toleman team at the end of 1985, appointing Flavio Briatore in 1990 and securing three world championships between 1994 and 1995.
In 2000 the Enstone based team was sold to Renault.
"Formula one is a chapter that is absolutely closed (for Benetton) and unrepeatable," said Alessandro Benetton, the Group's executive deputy chairman.
"It was beautiful to win in a time when there was the opportunity to be competitive for those who are not automobile constructors," he is quoted as saying by Italy's Corriere dello Sport.
45-year-old Benetton was also asked about the conflict between the major teams and the governing FIA. "I trust that, in the end, there will be an agreement," he said.
Cosworth not yet confirming F1 return
(GMM) On Friday morning, Cosworth would not confirm that the publication of the 2010 FIA entry list will cement the company's return to formula one.
It is likely that some new teams, probably USF1, Prodrive, Lola or Epsilon Euskadi, will be named on the list, to be published by the governing body before lunchtime.
With their official applications, the teams had to nominate an engine supplier, and as none of the current carmakers involved in F1 have confirmed their participation, it is likely they named Cosworth.
Late last year, the Northampton-based engine specialists won an FIA tender to supply a low-cost customer engine package to teams in 2010 and beyond.
But on Friday, a Cosworth spokesman told the local Northampton Chronicle: "All we can say is, we're unable to make a comment at this time."
It is believed that Cosworth's 2010 engine would be based on the V8 unit supplied to Williams in 2006.
It is not known if Prodrive listed Cosworth as its 2010 supplier, but Williams' co-owner and engineering chief Patrick Head believes the Banbury based outfit can succeed.
"They (Prodrive) are a very experienced outfit in many fields of motor sport, and if they do come in I am sure they will do a good job," he told BBC Oxford.