Still no word from Campos Meta or US F1, will Stefan GP get to step up?
Silence is all that remains in the garages that should be occupied by Campos Meta and US F1 at Jerez this week, with both teams still as yet to release their cars. It seems that we’ll have to wait until the first GP to see the cars – if we ever get to that is.
Stefan GP has bought the Toyota chassis and secured contracts with Toyota for servicing and consulting and will release their car later this month even if it seems, they won’t get a place on the grid. Without the limited testing rules that wouldn’t apply to them as they aren’t racing they would run a young driver programme to develop the car. However it seems that Bernie wants them on the grid and it’s likely to be at the expense of either Campos Meta or US F1 – I can’t see the FIA just letting Stefan GP be added to the grid, even though their car (being ex-toyota) is likely to be much more competitive than an underfunded first car. If Stefan GP were added to the grid it would open the FIA up to all the other unsuccessful applicants turning up and expecting a place – especially Dave Richards and Pro-drive.
US F1 seemed to have secured all the funding they needed and have consistently said that they will be there in Bahrain. There just isn’t that much speculation around the team really – they seem to have the facilities and the will to deliver on that. So it seems Campos Meta may be the weak link. With rumours that Volkswagon may be interested in buying the team long term then it seems that they need just to secure funding for a single year, and that’s if Dallara and Cosworth come up with the car. Zoran Stefanović will be hoping that they don’t or that the FIA let him compete anyway.
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