Stefan GP still planning on 2010, may buy Toyota team

UPDATE #2 (GMM) Stefan GP has announced that its 2010 car is named S-01. It is believed the single seater is the one designed this year by Toyota, prior to the Cologne based team's carmaker parent deciding to quit formula one.

Reports in recent days suggested that Stefan GP, a Serbian outfit, wants to race in 2010, but if not granted an official entry is ready to test the car.

The team's test program, to operate outside the FIA or FOTA rules, will reportedly be subsidized by offering the cockpit of the fully 2010-specification car to paying drivers or clients.

Stefan GP has confirmed that the S-01 has passed FIA-standard crash tests.

"(The) car will undergo full FIA tests as scheduled by the end of January 2010," a statement added.

12/24/09 (GMM) Serbian businessman Zoran Stefanovic's interest in the Toyota formula one team stepped up a gear last week.

His outfit Stefan GP hopes to make its grand prix debut either next year or in 2011, and a recent visit to Toyota's Cologne headquarters has now been confirmed.

It has been reported that, because not bound by the Concorde Agreement, Stefan GP can take over Toyota's TF110 (2010) car design and test it at leisure, unless a vacancy on the 2010 grid arises and the team can immediately step into the sport.

"Mr. Stefanovic was in Toyota Motorsport in Cologne," Stefan GP confirmed. "There was (a) meeting with Mr. (Yoshiaki) Kinoshita and other leading people."

Those other leading people included John Howett, and Toyota's F1 technical director Pascal Vasselon.

"It was very productive session and further cooperation are detailed," Stefan GP added.

12/16/09 (GMM) The Serbian effort Stefan GP is reportedly not yet giving up on contesting next year's world championship.

All 13 entries for the 2010 grid have been assigned by the FIA, but Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the team led by Zoran Stefanovic is nonetheless pushing ahead with its plans.

A small group led by former Toyota technical director Pascal Vasselon is heading the technical project, which is based on the departed Cologne based team's TF110 (2010) single seater design.

Auto Motor und Sport said experts believe the entries currently occupied by Campos and USF1 would be the most likely to become available.