New F1 team to be announced
An all-new Formula 1 team with cars built and prepared by Italian racing car constructor Dallara will be announced at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, autosport.com can reveal. And although the outfit is eyeing a 2006 entry, there is growing speculation that it could even be on the grid next year
Dallara has been working behind the scenes for several months now in preparing a chassis and it has been on a massive recruitment drive to bolster its staff and get itself geared up for a full-time F1 effort in time for the start of 2006.
The funding for the project is believed to come from either Russian or Canadian backers and an announcement about the plans is expected to be made on Friday - simultaneously in both Japan and Italy.
Under the plans for a 2006 entry, Dallara will build a test chassis and is expected to run with Cosworth engines next year while it gathers data and knowledge of F1 machinery, having not built a full-spec F1 car since an aborted project with Honda in 1999.
However, sources claim that Dallara's backers may be keen to get on the grid next year and could be ready to make a bid to buy Jaguar - where they will have a ready-made car in the team's R6 and all the facilities and staff they need to be on the grid in Melbourne next March.
Speculation about such a scenario is growing with insiders claiming that hopes for a Red Bull purchase of Jaguar based around Toyota engines are now fading - with Toyota chiefs in Japan having ruled out supplying any customer engines to the team in 2005.
The reasons for such a decision, just weeks after it was revealed that Toyota was planning to supply customer engines next year, could be because a potential buyer of Jaguar has also offered to take on Cosworth.
Former Jordan technical director Gary Anderson has been linked with a role at the new Dallara team, while former world rally navigator Christian Geisdoerfer is expected to be sporting director.
Dallara last raced in Formula 1 in 1992, although it enjoyed little success despite having customer Ferrari engines.
Previous article
Analysis: Panis Reaches the End of the F1 Road
Next article
Preview: BAR Out to Win their 100th Race
The squandered potential of a 70s F1 underdog
A podium finisher in its first outing but then never again, the BRM P201 was a classic case of an opportunity squandered by disorganisation and complacency, says STUART CODLING
The other notable Monza escape that F1 should learn from
OPINION: The headlines were dominated by the Italian Grand Prix crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who had the halo to thank for avoiding potentially serious injury. But two days earlier, Formula 1 had a lucky escape with a Monza pitlane incident that could also have had grave consequences
How Monza only added more questions to F1's sprint race conundrum
With two sprint races under its belt, Formula 1 must now consider its options for them going forward. While they've helped deliver exciting racing on Sundays, the sprints themselves have been somewhat lacking - creating yet another conundrum for F1 to solve...
Who should Alfa Romeo sign for 2022's F1 season?
OPINION: With Valtteri Bottas already signed up for 2022, all eyes are on the race for the second seat at Alfa Romeo next year. Antonio Giovinazzi is the current incumbent, but faces a tough competition from appealing short and long-term prospects
The "forced break" that was key to Ricciardo's Monza excellence
OPINION: Daniel Ricciardo has long been considered one of Formula 1’s elite drivers. But his struggles at McLaren since switching from Renault for 2021 have been painful to watch at times. Yet he’s recovered to banish those memories with a famous Monza win – built on a critically important foundation
How Verstappen is ruining his F1 title battle with Hamilton
OPINION: The Italian GP clash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen followed a running theme in the 2021 Formula 1 title fight. Their close-quarters battles have often resulted in contact - and although Hamilton has shown a willingness to back off, Verstappen must learn to temper his aggression
Italian Grand Prix Driver Ratings
Two drivers produced maximum-score performances as, for the second year in a row, Monza threw up an unpredictable result that left several others ruing what might have been
Why Ricciardo was set for Monza F1 triumph even without Verstappen/Hamilton crash
The clash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was the major flashpoint the 2021 Italian Grand Prix will be remembered for. Yet by this point, race leader Daniel Ricciardo had already done the hard work that would put him in position to end his and McLaren's lengthy win droughts, on a memorable afternoon in Monza
