Carlin F1 entry has Mosley blessing

But the Briton is under no illusions that his chances of becoming one of the chosen 12 team owners are high.

Carlin, who celebrated his team's 100th race win last weekend, contacted Mosley before applying to inquire if there was any point in submitting the application. And Carlin says the FIA president encouraged him to pursue the entry.

"I spoke to Max before we put the entry in," Carlin told autosport.com in an exclusive, in-depth interview, published today.

"I had the entry form on my desk, and I sent [Mosley] a fax saying I was going to call him to outline our plans.

"I wanted to ask him if I was going to waste my time or his time or not, and he actually called us. He said, 'no, I would like you to do it. We feel that you are one of the right teams for this and please put your entry in.'

"That was it. We sent it off and now we are waiting."

Twenty two teams are, according to the FIA, currently competing for 12 entries in the 2008 F1 season, and the governing body will make the chosen applications known on April 28.

Among the applicants are the existing 11 F1 teams, as well as former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart and David Richards' Prodrive.

Widespread speculations have put Prodrive as the new team most likely to gain the 12th spot, while the other 11 spots will most likely go to the existing F1 teams.

And, although Carlin has acknowledged Prodrive's strengths, he does not believe they will automatically be preferred over Carlin Motorsport.

"I don't think they have got anything more than we have, apart from a better longer-term reputation," he said.

"They are very good in rallying, GTs and touring cars, they have a fantastic reputation, but in single seater racing we are probably at a slightly higher level than they are.

"It will be politics that decides who will get a chance, but it would not surprise me if they give one new team as an entry and another as a reserve, to use as a stick to beat teams with."

Carlin, however, said he did not expect his team to get an entry immediately.

"I am realistic" he said. "It would be unlikely that we will get it, but if there were 11 new teams I would say we are definitely in the top half, so that is a 5-1, 6-1 chance.

"I don't know all of the potential entries, and I have been told by someone that there are a couple of real flaky ones from people you have not heard of. Anyone with an e-mail connection could have lodged an entry.

"I think we are in the top half and, if you look at our history, they know we are professionals and are not in it for the short term. We are going to be doing it for another 20 years in some shape or form.

"Looking at the reality of it, then, I would probably say we are in the top three, and if that was the case - I know they won't publish it like that, or rank it like that - and if we are in the top three, then politically we might get it."

Read the full interview with Trevor Carlin in today's issue of the Weekly Journal