Germans poised to join F1

Germans poised to join F1

German businessman Oliver Behring says his country will have its own Formula One team by 2004.

Behring, owner of Asset Trust partners, the holding company of German Grand Prix Racing said his new team would definitely be at the first 2004 Grand Prix in Melbourne.

"We have already put in our application to the FIA (motor racing's governing body)," he told the sport1 website.

However, the Reuters news agency quoted an FIA source saying that it had not received a formal request for an entry.

"We received an initial enquiry to which we've replied," the source said. "We have received no response since."

Last season Behring talked of taking over the British-based Arrows team before its collapse.

The German Grand Prix Racing team is expected to buy chassis and engines from existing Formula One suppliers.

The team's factory will be in Germany, probably near Bremen in the north.

"Naturally we will work very closely with our chassis partner. We will have a wind tunnel in our factory," Behring said.

Behring said he had secure financing for his team until the end of 2004.

Craig Pollock, one-time chief of BAR racing, is favourite to become the new team's boss.

Pollock stood down as BAR team principal in December 2001 after taking charge from the team's inception in 1997.

Behring said he was talking to Sven Barth and Thomas Westarp about becoming the team's test drivers.