Real fears about F1’s twelfth team for 2008 are now starting to emerge.
The publication motorline.cc reports that although Pedro de la Rosa and Alex Wurz are keen to explore the option of driving for David Richards’ fledgling Prodrive outfit next year, they are concerned that the team is running out of time to get ready.
The expected car and engine link-up with McLaren-Mercedes is still yet to be signed, and Prodrive is also yet to announce a sponsor package or name major personnel appointments for its first season in formula one.
McLaren test driver de la Rosa said: “We have to wait — at present nothing at all is fixed. It is not clear at the moment if there will be a team at all.”
A mere seven months before the opening grand prix of 2008, Williams’ Wurz also admits to having his doubts about Prodrive.
“I am a bit sceptical,” the Austrian said, “because it is already very late in the season and we have not heard much from them.”
Wurz added that he saw September as a sort of final “deadline” for Prodrive to send a strong signal about its readiness for 2008.
