JANUARY 17, 2014

Kolles, Stefan also bidding for F1 in 2015

Two more potential teams are bidding to join the formula one pitlane.

Two more potential teams are bidding to join the formula one pitlane.

Bernie Ecclestone revealed on Thursday that he is in talks with two new outfits, and the first reared its head in the form of Nascar co-owner Gene Haas.

But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that there is not one more potential bidder for the eleventh and final pitlane garage in 2015, but two.

One is Colin Kolles, the former Jordan, Midland, Spyker, Force India and HRT team boss, who for years has also run his own single seater and sports car teams.

And the other is Stefan GP, headed by Serbian businessman Zoran Stefanovich, who some years ago set up office in Cologne and tried to enter F1 with departed Toyota's 2010 car.

Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt said the FIA intends to decide by the end of February whether one of the three will be given the eleventh team slot.

"The most interesting candidate is definitely Gene Haas," said Schmidt, who said the 62-year-old Californian would have a three-digit million budget, and also heads one of the best wind tunnels in the world in North Carolina.

"The cars would be designed in-house, but initially built by Dallara," he added.

"The engine and transmission partner would be Ferrari. Haas prefers to be in the background, so the team leader would be the former Red Bull team manager Gunther Steiner."

(GMM)