Richards aims for top half of grid

David Richards will enter Formula 1 in 2008 with their Prodrive F1 team. Richards will buy his engine and chassis from another team as the rules in F1 will allow such a thing starting from next season. Richards has high expectations and believes his team could soon be fighting amongst the top half of the grid.

Richards told ITV: "There are some incredibly competitive teams out there who have been doing this forever and are exceptionally good at it," he said. "It would be ridiculously arrogant to think that one could come in there and challenge the equilibrium of that.

"But nonetheless, if you pick the right partner, you've got the right drivers and you do the job well, we'll be fighting amongst the top half of the grid quite early on.

"We couldn't have competed in the current environment. You've seen new teams come, and the amount of money and investment required makes it impossible. But for 2008, the regulations are very specific: you can use a car that's been manufactured and built by an existing team."