Jacques Villeneuve is set to have a seat fitting in Stefan GP's car in Cologne on Monday, AUTOSPORT has learned.
Team boss Zoran Stefanovic has said that the 1997 world champion is close to a deal with the Serbian squad, which continues to push for a place in the 2010 Formula 1 field.
Stefan has already announced Kazuki Nakajima as its first driver, and is also believed to be poised to sign GP2 race winner Pastor Maldonado as its reserve.
The team's second car is scheduled for completion on Tuesday, and it is understood to be planning a media launch on Wednesday in a location close to its Cologne facility. Although Bridgestone has so far declined to release tyres to Stefan, forcing it to abandon plans to test at Portimao this week, the team is thought to have decided that Avon tyres would be suitable for the launch and a shakedown.
Stefanovic has also revealed that he had discussed a merger with US F1 - which has a 2010 entry but has asked to miss the first four races as its programme is a long way behind schedule. He said these talks had now collapsed despite positive approaches from US F1 investor Chad Hurley.
"Yes, it is true we had some discussions stretching over many days, but these broke down completely on Thursday afternoon European time due to the inflexibility of certain players," Stefanovic said.
"I stress it was not Chad Hurley, who was open to discussions with us, but some of the other stakeholders who sabotaged the talks."
News from Formula One in the Formation Lap.
Showing posts with label Stefan GP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stefan GP. Show all posts
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
StefanGP planing to go to Portimao for first tests
First tests for StefanGP will be in Portugal at Portimao test track, on 25-28 February 2010.
StefanGP first Formula 1 car Stefan S-01 will be presented before tests.
Car: Stefan S-01.
Car is developed by StefanGP and with technical supports from TMG.
Engine: Stefan RG-01.
V8, 2,400 ccm, 18,000 rpm, serviced by TMG.
SGP Team will be testing with two drivers over three days.
Identity of drivers will be announced in due course.
First driver has already two years in F1.
StefanGP first Formula 1 car Stefan S-01 will be presented before tests.
Car: Stefan S-01.
Car is developed by StefanGP and with technical supports from TMG.
Engine: Stefan RG-01.
V8, 2,400 ccm, 18,000 rpm, serviced by TMG.
SGP Team will be testing with two drivers over three days.
Identity of drivers will be announced in due course.
First driver has already two years in F1.
Stefan to test car at Portimao this month
Stefan GP has announced it will test its first Formula 1 car later this month in Portugal, as it continues to push with its plans to race in the sport this year despite not having an entry.
Following today's announcement that the Serbia-based squad will send equipment to Bahrain for the first of the season, the team said it will test its car at Portimao on 25-28 February.
Stefan GP said it will unveil the Stefan S-01 before the tests.
AUTOSPORT has learned former Williams driver Kazuki Nakajima will be one of the team's drivers.
Stefan GP said its car has been developed by the team and with technical support from Toyota, with which is has agreed a technical partnership.
The engine it will use is the Stefan RG-01, also serviced by Toyota.
The team said it will be testing two drivers at Portimao.
Stefan GP released a picture of its offices, in which team owner Zoran Stefanovich can be seen with former McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan.
Following today's announcement that the Serbia-based squad will send equipment to Bahrain for the first of the season, the team said it will test its car at Portimao on 25-28 February.
Stefan GP said it will unveil the Stefan S-01 before the tests.
AUTOSPORT has learned former Williams driver Kazuki Nakajima will be one of the team's drivers.
Stefan GP said its car has been developed by the team and with technical support from Toyota, with which is has agreed a technical partnership.
The engine it will use is the Stefan RG-01, also serviced by Toyota.
The team said it will be testing two drivers at Portimao.
Stefan GP released a picture of its offices, in which team owner Zoran Stefanovich can be seen with former McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan.
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Stefan GP boss visits Toyota factory
Stefan Grand Prix boss Zoran Stefanovic continued with his plans to enter Formula 1 next season after visiting the ex-Toyota factory in Cologne last week.
The Serbian, who is still aiming to have his team ready for 2010 despite not having an entry, traveled to the facilities used by the Japanese squad before its withdrawal from Formula 1.
Stefanovic is aiming to finalise a deal to take over the design of the car Toyota would have used next year.
He met with Toyota Motorsport president John Howett as well as with Toyota's executive vice president Yoshiaki Kinoshita and Pascal Vasselon, the former technical chief of the team.
"It was very productive session and further cooperation are detailed," Stefan GP said in a statement. "Obviously impressed with work done in TMG it was hard for him to keep smile away."
The team said there will be more news to follow in the next weeks.
The Serbian, who is still aiming to have his team ready for 2010 despite not having an entry, traveled to the facilities used by the Japanese squad before its withdrawal from Formula 1.
Stefanovic is aiming to finalise a deal to take over the design of the car Toyota would have used next year.
He met with Toyota Motorsport president John Howett as well as with Toyota's executive vice president Yoshiaki Kinoshita and Pascal Vasselon, the former technical chief of the team.
"It was very productive session and further cooperation are detailed," Stefan GP said in a statement. "Obviously impressed with work done in TMG it was hard for him to keep smile away."
The team said there will be more news to follow in the next weeks.
Friday, 18 December 2009
Stefan GP planning to test F1 car
The Serbian-based Stefan Grand Prix team plans to test its Formula 1 car throughout 2010 if it is not successful in securing an entry for next year's championship.
AUTOSPORT understands that team chief Zoran Stefanovic is due to meet with Toyota Motorsport president John Howett this weekend in a bid to finalise a deal for his outfit to take over the design of the Japanese manufacturer's original 2010 car.
The move comes as Stefan GP continues its preparations to move into F1, even though there is currently no vacancy on the grid for it.
Although the team does not want to confirm any details about its plans just yet, Stefanovic has told AUTOSPORT that even if its initial ambitions for 2010 do not come off, there is a back-up plan in place.
"Plan A is going into F1 in 2010, but Plan B is going into F1 in 2011 but next year going testing with the car and several drivers," he said. "We have the drivers already, but we are not going to announce this. If we are not in F1 next year competing then we will go testing through the year, and testing a lot.
"We are not bound by the Concorde Agreement, so we will test at various tracks and with various drivers - even if we are not in the F1 world championship."
Stefanovic says that the team's budget is already in place, and that work on the car - which will be led by former McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan - will be conducted at both a Serbian and German base in 2010.
"We have the full necessary backing in money terms for whatever we are doing," he explained. "At the moment there is no question about this. The only question mark is about the entry, and we will not go into details until there is an official announcement."
Stefanovic has also confirmed that the team has dropped a complaint it lodged with the European Commission regarding the entry process for the 2010 championship.
"We stopped the court case," he said. "It is now a different approach. It was [originally] to complain about it being a fair or unfair process, but when we thought carefully at the end of August, we decided not to move on with this.
"So, from the beginning of September we are not doing anything on this side with the European Commission. There is no question about this...It is better to go forward with the business plan than the complaint process."
AUTOSPORT understands that team chief Zoran Stefanovic is due to meet with Toyota Motorsport president John Howett this weekend in a bid to finalise a deal for his outfit to take over the design of the Japanese manufacturer's original 2010 car.
The move comes as Stefan GP continues its preparations to move into F1, even though there is currently no vacancy on the grid for it.
Although the team does not want to confirm any details about its plans just yet, Stefanovic has told AUTOSPORT that even if its initial ambitions for 2010 do not come off, there is a back-up plan in place.
"Plan A is going into F1 in 2010, but Plan B is going into F1 in 2011 but next year going testing with the car and several drivers," he said. "We have the drivers already, but we are not going to announce this. If we are not in F1 next year competing then we will go testing through the year, and testing a lot.
"We are not bound by the Concorde Agreement, so we will test at various tracks and with various drivers - even if we are not in the F1 world championship."
Stefanovic says that the team's budget is already in place, and that work on the car - which will be led by former McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan - will be conducted at both a Serbian and German base in 2010.
"We have the full necessary backing in money terms for whatever we are doing," he explained. "At the moment there is no question about this. The only question mark is about the entry, and we will not go into details until there is an official announcement."
Stefanovic has also confirmed that the team has dropped a complaint it lodged with the European Commission regarding the entry process for the 2010 championship.
"We stopped the court case," he said. "It is now a different approach. It was [originally] to complain about it being a fair or unfair process, but when we thought carefully at the end of August, we decided not to move on with this.
"So, from the beginning of September we are not doing anything on this side with the European Commission. There is no question about this...It is better to go forward with the business plan than the complaint process."
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Stefan GP still seeking 2010 grid slot
Stefan Grand Prix, the Serbian team that is seeking a move into Formula 1, says it is still looking at opportunities to make it onto the grid next year - despite dismissing talk that it is about to buy Toyota's F1 entry.
The fate of Toyota's slot on the grid remains uncertain, with the FIA having sought clarification from the Japanese manufacturer about its legal position in relation to the entry it committed itself to until 2012.
AUTOSPORT understands that the matter is due to be discussed at the next Formula 1 Commission meeting in Monaco in early December, with the final 2010 F1 entry list due to be published after next month's FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.
Sauber is still waiting on the sidelines to take Toyota's slot should the FIA confirm that the Japanese manufacturer's position is vacant – and the team's hopes appear to have been boosted with Peter Sauber having taken over the Swiss based outfit today following the collapse of a proposed deal with Qadbak.
However, the 13th team slot situation appeared to have got more complicated over the past few days with rumours emerging that the Cologne-based team's entry had been sold to Stefan GP.
However, Stefan GP's chief Zoran Stefanovich has made it clear that there is no truth to the speculation linking his outfit with Toyota's actual entry – even though his outfit could yet make use of Toyota's 2010 car design for its own plans.
"There is no entry for them [Toyota]," Stefanovich told AUTOSPORT. "We are in the process of evaluating our own plans for next year. We did some sort of agreement with them [Toyota], to take over the F1 project, but I cannot discuss the details at present."
Stefanovich says his team is in a state of readiness to make the move to F1 as early as next year – and is looking at any opportunities that can help his outfit achieve that feat.
"We have a complete facility and we have what is required to start testing immediately," he explained. "There is no question about this.
"There is no reason not to believe that we can do it – and in fact the situation seems to be quite the opposite. F1 will be glad to have a team from this area of the world, as currently its only representation is with the Hungarian Grand Prix. We are on stand-by."
The fate of Toyota's slot on the grid remains uncertain, with the FIA having sought clarification from the Japanese manufacturer about its legal position in relation to the entry it committed itself to until 2012.
AUTOSPORT understands that the matter is due to be discussed at the next Formula 1 Commission meeting in Monaco in early December, with the final 2010 F1 entry list due to be published after next month's FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.
Sauber is still waiting on the sidelines to take Toyota's slot should the FIA confirm that the Japanese manufacturer's position is vacant – and the team's hopes appear to have been boosted with Peter Sauber having taken over the Swiss based outfit today following the collapse of a proposed deal with Qadbak.
However, the 13th team slot situation appeared to have got more complicated over the past few days with rumours emerging that the Cologne-based team's entry had been sold to Stefan GP.
However, Stefan GP's chief Zoran Stefanovich has made it clear that there is no truth to the speculation linking his outfit with Toyota's actual entry – even though his outfit could yet make use of Toyota's 2010 car design for its own plans.
"There is no entry for them [Toyota]," Stefanovich told AUTOSPORT. "We are in the process of evaluating our own plans for next year. We did some sort of agreement with them [Toyota], to take over the F1 project, but I cannot discuss the details at present."
Stefanovich says his team is in a state of readiness to make the move to F1 as early as next year – and is looking at any opportunities that can help his outfit achieve that feat.
"We have a complete facility and we have what is required to start testing immediately," he explained. "There is no question about this.
"There is no reason not to believe that we can do it – and in fact the situation seems to be quite the opposite. F1 will be glad to have a team from this area of the world, as currently its only representation is with the Hungarian Grand Prix. We are on stand-by."
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