Stefan GP continues preparation work

Amid continued uncertainty about whether financial problems will force US F1 and Campos to miss the start of the season, it has emerged that the new Concorde Agreement provides a clause stating that teams are only deemed to have failed to participate in the championship if they do not compete in more than three events.

This means that US F1 and Campos could still race on from the fourth round of the season - the Chinese Grand Prix - and leave F1 hopefuls Stefan GP waiting on the sidelines until April 18 despite claiming it has the funds and a car ready to compete from the first event.

And although FIA president Jean Todt has further made it clear that Stefan GP will not automatically get in if either US F1 or Campos fail to make it, that has not stopped the Serbian outfit continuing its preparations.

AUTOSPORT has learned that Stefan GP has just shipped a second container of race equipment to Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian Grand Prix - having sent previous freight to the season-opening race in Bahrain.

These two containers will be used to cover the team for the first four races of the season should its bid to get an entry be successful.

Team boss Zoran Stefanovich told AUTOSPORT that he believes he is doing the right thing in shipping equipment to cover the first four races - and denies any talk his outfit is after anything out of the ordinary.

"It is a business decision," Stefanovich said about the decision to send freight. "We didn't say at any time nor at any moment imply that we need a sort of preferential special status or automatic entry. We have said that on merit we can do it. We are working and we can do this.

"If it is not enough for the sport, then we have no problem with this. But the question must then arise: why are we not sufficiently good for this sport?

"If that is the case, then this sport has a problem - and in my opinion the sport does have a problem in organising a sufficient number of teams. That is just our opinion - but we stand with this."

He added: "If someone is not going in, it should be filled with someone who could go in."

Although doubts continue about US F1 and Campos, both teams have remained adamant up until now that they remain on course to race in Bahrain - which is now just more than one month away.

Neither team has yet set a firm date for testing their car, or has yet signed both their drivers for 2010.