Motorsport: Britain's Carlin seeking F1 spot

LONDON - Britain's Carlin Motorsport today confirmed they were among the 22 teams chasing 12 slots in the 2008 Formula One motor racing championship.

"We are well under way with building an appropriate infrastructure and have firm commitments from key people who are experienced in F1 design, marketing, management and operations," team principal Trevor Carlin said.

"They will join us if the entry is accepted. We have also agreed the purchase of an established facility in southeast England, for design and specialist production, and a composite facility near our base to handle the major workload," he said.

The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on March 31, the deadline for applications for 2008, that 22 teams were seeking entry.

The FIA has already published rules for that season, the first after the expiry of an existing commercial agreement, that it said would cut costs and allow smaller teams to compete with the major manufacturers.

Trevor Carlin was briefly Jordan's sporting director in Formula One last season.

All 11 teams currently in Formula One have submitted entries for 2008 while other known contenders are former Benetton and BAR boss David Richards' Prodrive company and former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart.

Eddie Jordan, the Irish entrepreneur who sold his Silverstone-based team to Midland last year, has refused to confirm his rumoured interest.

The 22 teams were to have met the governing body at a meeting in London yesterday but it was shelved due to some being unable to attend over the holiday period. No new date has been scheduled yet.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said the championship will not expand beyond 12 teams and 24 cars.

The FIA has said it will publish the list of successful applicants on April 28.

- REUTERS