Phoenix fails in Malaysian GP race bid

The outfit did not present itself for scrutineering at the Sepang circuit today (Thursday) and it is understood that the cars were not released by Malaysian customs officials.

Phoenix Finance and company boss Charles Nickerson informed motorsport's governing body, the FIA, that they had purchased certain assets from the Prost liquidator and intended to enter two cars at Sepang. Two of last year's AP04s were reportedly to be driven by Tarso Marques, who has been seen in Malaysia, and Gaston Mazzacane.

The FIA, however, noted that the court has not transferred the Prost name nor made any attempt to transfer the team's entry, and that the team is therefore not entered in the championship.

The intention was for the team to receive engineering support from Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) but Walkinshaw had no comment to make on the situation on Thursday and left the circuit early to attend a team principal's meeting.

The question remains as to what the team thought was to be gained by freighting cars to Malaysia without confirmation of its entry. It could be that either they were hoping to have sorted the entry in time for scrutineering or that if they intend to dispute their legal right to an entry at a future date, they needed to have been seen to have presented themselves.

However, it seems that the cars were delayed by customs because they were not part of the official Formula One Management freight package, which is considered as one entity, expediting rapid customs clearance. As it is, it could be that Phoenix have invested $2.6 million in assets that have no value as a stand-alone race team.