Teams scrap plans for common 2010 car launch

Well-advanced plans for a common car launch for Formula One teams at the end of next month have been scrapped.

To cut costs, the FOTA teams association was earlier reported to have agreed to stage a single event for the unveiling of the 2010 cars.

It was to take place on the last weekend in January in Valencia, just prior to the first group test of the pre-season at the nearby Ricardo Tormo circuit.

Sources believe the budget for the event was around 2m euros, which if evenly divided between the 13 confirmed teams, would have meant a per-team cost of just over 150,000 euros.

There have, however, been rumours that the smaller teams were concerned that the spotlight and international coverage would not have been on them, and Germany's Auto Motor und Sport now reports that logistical reasons have been cited for the cancellation.

And the publication said the clinching problem was the fact that not all teams - notably the new ones Lotus, USF1, Virgin and Campos - would have had a 2010 car ready to launch.

Auto Motor und Sport said the teams will all now launch their cars individually, but in low-key and low-cost fashion.