F1: Todt Confirms USF1 Investigation

Formula 1

F1: Todt Confirms USF1 Investigation

USF1 will face an investigation for failing to make the 2010 grid...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted March 12, 2010 Sakhir (BHR)

Jean Todt is president of the FIA. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

FIA President Jean Todt has confirmed that he will investigate US F1’s failure to appear at the start of the World Championship.

The process could lead to disciplinary action taken against the team, although it’s unclear what form that could take.

Todt had an inside line to what was going on in Charlotte because Nick Craw of ACCUS is a close associate, and President of the FIA Senate.

“The non-appearance of US F1 is definitely a disappointment,” said Todt. “And my colleague Nick Craw will not contradict me because he has been very close to this team. We were hoping that an American based team would be at the start. It wasn’t possible. Yesterday the World Council asked me to review the situation, and that’s part of the introduction of the new disciplinary panel, which was yesterday voted at the World Council.

“So I will report to the World Council and Graham Stoker as the President of Sport will pass the report to the competent people, and we will see what happens. When I say that it’s very disappointing I know that they have tried hard, made a lot of effort. As you all
know Charlie Whiting went there and saw some facilities, and saw some cars under construction. Unfortunately it was not enough to have two cars at the start of the first Grand Prix.”

The case could be the first in which the roles of prosecution and judgment.

Adam Cooper notched up his 25th season as a racing journalist in 2009. Born in London, England, he saw his first F1 race at age 10 in 1976. He began freelancing for Autosport magazine in 1985 and was on the fulltime staff from 1987-92. He then went freelance again, initially spending two years in Japan before following the 1994 Champcar series from a base in Indianapolis. He has not missed a Grand Prix since Suzuka ‘94, a run that has extended to Abu Dhabi ’09. Adam has written books about Eddie Irvine, Piers Courage and Michael Schumacher and hosts a race preview show on Sirius XM. He has written about F1 for SPEEDtv.com since 2005. Check out Adam's Blog or follow him on Twitter