Can new teams and drivers shake F1 up? (Feature)

By George Burns Mar 3, 2010, 4:10 GMT

Berlin - Ferrari's recent stinging criticism of what it sees as the FIA prioritizing the entry of new teams into the sport of Formula One at the expense of major car manufacturers was certainly not made out of fear of a new challenger on the block.

Unfortunately, it seems the Italian marque's worries that the departure last season of BMW and Toyota (preceded at the end of 2008 by the loss of Honda) would seriously weaken F1 have been totally justified.

It is now virtually certain that Team US F1 will seek a deferral until 2011 while Campos Meta has failed to take part in a single pre- season testing session to date.

However Campos, which was founded by former driver Adrian Campos and is now being run by ex-Force India boss Colin Kolles, appears to be making some progress towards getting a car onto the starting grid for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir on March 14.

The Dallara factory in Spain, where the car's chassis are being built, has now taken delivery of its first consignment of Cosworth engines and Kolles has stated his team will be ready.

'My aim now is to make sure that we are there on the grid in Bahrain which will be a huge achievement in itself,' Kolles told Autosport magazine.

Virgin Racing at least concluded its pre-season programme and the team will certainly turn up in Bahrain.

Team owner Richard Branson berated Ferrari last weekend at the final pre-testing session in Barcelona for coming down so hard on the new teams.

Indeed, Branson expects Virgin to eventually close the gap significantly on the big teams.

'Ferrari should be welcoming new teams because they make the sport much more exciting,' Branson said.

'And we will make them look better for a year or two until we catch them up. I think the new teams will give Ferrari a run for their money and I think will make the sport more exciting.'

Malaysian-backed Lotus Racing are certain to line up in Bahrain after wrapping up their Barcelona pre-season testing sessions and announcing CNN International Tuesday as a long-term sponsor.

Mercedes GP could be classified as another 'new' team although the German carmaker has in reality taken over Brawn GP, which won the constructors' and drivers' title last season.

World champion Jenson Button has since moved to McLaren while Mercedes have managed to lure seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher out of retirement to partner Nico Rosberg.

The 41-year-old has managed nearly 3,000km during the allotted 15 days of testing in his new Mercedes and while Ferrari have looked the strongest so far the German believes the truth of the situation will only become apparent once the green light goes on in Sakhir.

'Testing is one thing, racing is something else,' Schumacher said in Barcelona.

'It all depends on who brings what to Bahrain.'