APRIL 13, 2002

Mosley on Phoenix

THE Phoenix Finance Ltd. bid to run a Formula 1 team has ended up in the courts with the representatives of Phoenix trying to force the FIA and FOM to let them compete this year.

"We believe that they don't have an entry," said Max Mosley. "No doubt we will hear in the next few weeks."

We understand that there is much legal argument over whether the case should be heard in England, in France or in arbitration but the decision taken so far is that the case will adjourned for about a month.

There are all kinds of issues involved in the argument including the additional complication that after the collapse of Prost Grand Prix the French motor sport federation cancelled the team's national licence. Under the FIA rules this means that they team cannot hold an international licence. The British Motor Sport Association later granted Phoenix a British national licence but this was obviously not done for Prost GP. In addition, sources at the international federation say that Phoenix has not made the necessary declaration of its finances not has it paid the $48m deposit (or competed in the championship in the previous year).

We understand that attempts were made to dissuade Phoenix from taking legal action but the organization's representative in F1, Tom Walkinshaw, declined to take that advice.