Prodrive Joins F1, 2 Years From Now

There will be 12 teams competing in the 2008 Formula One season, and one of them will be Prodrive. The other 11 will be the 11 teams already competing in F1. Prodrive is headed up by David Richards, former team principal at BAR Honda, and (we just learned) 1981 WRC champion co-driver to Ari Vatanen. Richards is also the commercial rights holder to the World Rally Championship. Prodrive was the only new team accepted into F1 out of 11 applicants. Among the denied applicants are former Minardi boss Paul Stoddart, former Jordan boss Eddie Jordan, and former BAR boss (before Richards) Craig Pollack. When asked why Prodrive was selected as the team to round out F1 12-team limit, FIA president Max Mosley said, "David clearly knows what he's doing, and promises to actually try and make a good effort. We don't want another Super Aguri. They're nice guys and all, but man, they suck. If they hadn't thrown it together at the last minute and had a bunch of Honda's money I doubt we'd have let them in, but they caught me in a moment of weakness. Sorry." Okay that was totally made up, but it's exactly what everyone's thinking.

Prodrive to join F1 grid in 2008

Related:
Button WIll Break His Duck, Says Mansell, Prodrive's P2 Show Car at Autosport International [internal]