Forza Rossa still waiting for green light

Jun.16 (GMM) Forza Rossa is still yet to receive a "formal response" from the FIA regarding its application to enter Formula One.

It was reported recently that, on the heels of Nascar team co-owner Gene Haas getting the go-ahead from F1's governing body, the FIA was also set to approve the application made by a Romanian outfit called Forza Rossa.

"Yes, it is true," Bogdan Sonea told the Romanian daily Gandul.

The newspaper said Sonea is the marketing director of Forza Rossa Ferrari, the official dealer of Ferrari road cars within Romania.

"Forza Rossa did submit a dossier and now we expect a formal response from the FIA about our future participation in the world championship," Sonea said.

He confirmed that Colin Kolles, the Romanian and former boss of the HRT and Force India teams, will lead the project, but said Forza Rossa may not be the actual team name.

"Forza Rossa is the name of the applicant," said Sonea, "but the name of the team that will participate in F1 is not yet finalised."

Many other details are also not yet known, he admitted, including the size of the budget.

There have also been conflicting reports about potential technical partners, with some saying Ferrari is the obvious engine supplier, amid rumours elsewhere of talks with Renault.

It has even been suggested that Dacia, the low-cost Romanian carmaker, could get involved.

"I cannot even mention this," Sonea insisted. "We cannot confirm or deny these rumours."

He did say, however, that reports of links to the Romanian government are untrue, as the project is "100 per cent private".