From PlanetF1:


Epsilon Euskadi boss Joan Villadelprat has warned that the team who wins the race for the 13th slot on the grid will start 2011 on the back foot as they won't have enough time to prepare.

The Spanish-based Epsilon is one of dozens of teams who have applied for the spot left vacant by the now defunct USF1 team, but Villadelprat fears the winning bidder will only find out at the end of August.

"I'm optimistic, but also a bit worried because the FIA announcement won't come before the end of August," he told Autosprint.

"That means that, for the teams who get the nod, the time to start proper construction of the F1 car will be tiny.

"On top of that, it's inevitable that we now find ourselves in the situation where we begin making investments without knowing whether we'll actually be in next year's Championship."

Villadelprat is also confident Epsilon, who was one of the unsuccessful bidders for entries to the 2010 Championship, will have enough funds to keep them on track for at least two seasons.

"We have long been in talks with big and important international companies who are interested in investing in us," he said. "Within two weeks we'll have a better understanding of what we can do.

"One thing is for sure: our programme isn't on a yearly basis. The budget I require must cover at least the first two seasons, 2011 and 2012. I repeat, that's a minimum. An F1 team can't be reasoning year by year."