A press release from the FIA just out this evening:

“The USF1 Team have indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship. Having considered the various options, the FIA confirms that it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the Championship at this late stage.”

So, that’s USF1 and Stefan GP of the supposed ‘new entries’ out for the coming season. Autosport.com is claiming an exclusive with USF1 boss Ken Anderson about what went wrong.

“In the coming days the FIA will announce details of a new selection process to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the start of the 2011 season.”

What a mess. Why weren’t these ‘new entries’ vetted properly in the first place? There are major safety issues, as well as Formula One’s reputation on the world stage at stake here. Won’t someone get a grip – please!

Virgin Racing and Lotus are in of course. So is Campos Meta which has been renamed Hispania Racing Team, or HRT (no jokes please, they’ve been cracked already). Sauber will be known still as BMW Sauber.

HRT's new owner Jose Ramos Carabante