Grapevine: Phoenix Set to Skip Brazilian GP

The new 'Phoenix' Grand Prix outfit are unlikely to fly to Sao Paulo for this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix after an official at Interlagos revealed there has been no application for a garage at the circuit.

The team are in dispute with the sport's governing body, the FIA, over their right to race and were expected to travel to Brazil despite being banned from the race. Both the FIA and Phoenix refused to comment on the situation but the Brazilian Grand Prix press officer Marcio Fonseca has revealed they have not made official plans to turn up.

"We have not received any application from Phoenix or whatever other team," said Fonseca. "The official entry list remains the same as released by the FIA on February 13."

Phoenix, whose cars are engineered by Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw's TWR company, flew all their equipment to Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian Grand Prix. They were not allowed to compete at Sepang, however, after the FIA claimed the licence Phoenix bought from Prost Grand Prix is void.

Walkinshaw and his Arrows team flew to Brazil on Tuesday and a source at Arrows claimed no Phoenix personnel were with them.