Dennis wants limit of 12 teams cancelled

The sport's governing body, the FIA, said 22 teams have applied for an enter the 2008 Formula One World Championship. These include all 11 current F1 teams.

The FIA regulations currently limit the number of teams in the championship to 12, which is likely to mean that only one of the new teams will be invited to join the championship.

However, the reality is that nothing can be taken for granted with the situation because the FIA has the final decision on exactly who gets an entry - and none of the current 11 outfits on the grid are guaranteed a slot.

Article 45 of the 2008 Sporting Regulations states: "All applications will be studied by the FIA and accepted or rejected in its absolute discretion."

Dennis, however, suggested at Albert Park that no team should have their entry refused, and that the championship should be opened up to everyone.

"I think all we need is a consistency and a level-playing field, and it doesn't really matter how that unfolds, especially in 2008, as long as it unfolds the same for everybody," he said.

"There is obviously a large entry into the 2008 championship, and everybody is already scratching their heads - are there already 22 teams who are going to go into that world championship? If there are, and whatever the criteria is, then we should all turn up and pre-qualify.

"If there are people who really think that they have got what it takes to be in F1 then I am completely happy, so let them come and pre-qualify against us, and just see how many of them take the pain of struggling through half the season, maybe more, of going home after Friday. This is F1."