Mosley: F1 Could have New Team Next Year

Formula One needs new teams and could have one as early as next year if rule changes are agreed, according to International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley.

"We might see a new team in as early as 2005," the Briton told a news conference after meeting Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone and team bosses on Tuesday to discuss a major shake-up of the sport from 2006.

"There is a need for a new team," he added. "I think everybody feels instinctively that Formula One would be better, stronger and more exciting with new teams. When I tell them (the team bosses) that they are all ageing and we need new blood, they are probably not pleased but it's true."

Formula One has 10 teams at present, with space for two more on the starting grid. The last new team to enter the sport was Japanese car giant Toyota in 2002.

The proposals discussed on Tuesday aim to slash the sport's spiralling costs to make Formula One accessible to new teams as well as helping existing ones and producing a more exciting championship.

Mosley said the chances of a new team, such as Formula 3000 champions Arden who have already expressed an interest, making the step up also depended on a rule change to allow teams to sell and buy each others' chassis.

"There was a lot of discussion on allowing the sale of chassis to encourage smaller teams to enter the Championship," he said. "But there were reservations in that there are fears that if we allow the free selling of chassis, Formula One might become like other racing series with one or two or three makes and lots of people in the same cars.

"There was a feeling we would come up with solutions to these problems and I think that will certainly prove to be the case."

Possible options could include a separate engine manufacturers championship or allowing constructors to score points with satellite teams running their cars.

"There is a strong desire to encourage new teams to come in, but understandably the existing teams do not want to give up any money or privileges as a result of that," said Mosley.

He said new teams could expect a much easier entry route than in the past, when teams had to pay $50 million to secure their place with the money returned in instalments after a certain number of races.