Motorsport News

Old F1 chassis may compete this year

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The 2015 Mastercard Lola, yesterday
The 2015 Mastercard Lola, yesterday

Mastercard Lola say they remain ‘confident’ they can take part in the 2015 F1 season, pending permission to use an old chassis.

‘We would have to use a basic car that is not built for this season,’ admitted a spokesman. ‘Or the season before. Or the season before that. Or the season before… look, it’s the 1997 chassis, okay?’

Insiders say since competing in just one race 18 years ago, Mastercard Lola has been working constantly on the car and the team is now confident it is only eight or nine seconds off the pace, depending on how windy it is.

Despite an outdated chassis, F1 sources say the team could be allowed to compete this year as long as certain criteria are met, such as promising not to tit about fitting the wrong engine and agreeing not to let Ricardo Rosset drive the car. ‘This isn’t like our 2010 comeback,’ said the spokesman. ‘If anything, this one is going to be even more embarrassing and we’re working flat out to make sure the car isn’t ready for Australia. Again.’

However, at the end of last week Mastercard Lola’s entry looked to have been blocked by objections from Force India. ‘It’s not about money,’ said a spokesman for the Silverstone-based team. ‘It’s because they’re shit. God, they’d even make us look good this year. Oh… DAMN.’