28/04/2010
NEWS STORY
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As Stefan GP boss Zoran Stefanovic declares that he fully intends applying for a slot on the 2011 grid, there remain unanswered questions as to what went wrong with his 2010 bid.
Just weeks before the start of the season, while there remained doubt as to how many teams would actually line up on the grid in Bahrain, and their (true) identity, former team boss turned BBC pundit Eddie Jordan - who proudly boasts that he rarely gets his predictions wrong - declared that Stefan GP would definitely be on the grid.
While the Serbian outfit had initially been treated with amusement, they were treated a little more seriously once it became known that they were 'involved' with Toyota.
The precise nature of this involvement was never really made clear, however, sections of the media were adamant that Stefanovic was serious about entering F1 and that the Toyota tie-up meant the Serbian outfit was looking more credible than Campos and USF1.
Along with plans to run the Toyota (2010) car, we were also told that Stefanovic was looking at all manner of drivers, most notably 1997 world champion, Jacques Villeneuve.
In early March, as Bahrain drew ever nearer, and the FIA was due to release the official entry list, anticipation was nearing fever pitch, bolstered with predictions such as Jordan's.
However, going back to early February, following an announcement that he had signed a deal which would see Stefan GP receive "technical support" from Toyota, Stefanovic had revealed that his team would be attending a test in Portugal and would then head to Bahrain, indeed, the Serbian thanked all manner of people for helping him in making the "dream come true".
While Stefanovic never revealed precisely what the "technical support" consisted of, the news came one month after Stefan GP had issued an ambiguous statement claiming that its car had passed the mandatory crash test - though admitting that this had been carried out internally by an independent outsourcing company and not by the FIA itself.
No mention was made at this time that the car that underwent the crash test was a Toyota, indeed, at around the same time, McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh expressed surprise that nobody had approached the Japanese manufacturer.
Fact is, it was a Toyota which had passed the test, however, it certainly wasn't Stefan GP's car, nor was it ever going to be until some of the numerous bills had been paid. Furthermore, the announcement came "some days" after the actual test had taken place, suggesting that it was some time before the information was passed on to Stefanovic.
In mid-February, while the future of both USF1 and Campos Meta remained in doubt, Stefanovic called on the FIA to allow a 14th slot on the 2010 grid in order that his team might take part.
Just one week later, however, he had to announce that the Portimao test had been cancelled as his team had been unable to source tyres. That's not entirely true, they had been able to source tyres, however, Bridgestone was only obliged to supply those teams officially entered in the world championship.
Next came a kicking from the prancing horse, an anonymous article on the official Ferrari website describing Stefan GP as the "Serbian vultures".
"Firstly, they launched themselves into a quixotic legal battle with the FIA," it read, referring to Stefanovic's complaint to the European Commission following the 2010 selection process. "Then they picked the bones of Toyota on its death bed."
Less than two weeks before the first free practice session of the season, and with confusion still surrounding two of the official entries, Stefanovic ramped up his 2010 entry bid. "Stefan GP would like to inform the public that the containers we sent on the beginning of February arrived in Bahrain," declared a brief statement on the team's website. "During next week we will show our Stefan Formula 1 car to the press as the final evidence that should put us on the grid in Bahrain."
The team, which, let us not forget, had already officially complained to the European Commission about the FIA, then took another dig at the sport's governing body, stating: "In case we don't receive the chance to compete in Bahrain, and also when some of the teams fail to show up, somebody should be in a trouble explaining what is happen to all of us."
Just twenty-four hours later, Stefanovic had clearly realised the error of his ways - those seeking an entry in the FIA Formula One World Championship do not take pot shots at the governing body, certainly not in public. "SGP would like to re-confirm its desire and, importantly, its ability to compete in the whole of the FIA 2010 Formula One World Championship," read a new statement on its site. "It recognises that this can only happen with the consent of the FIA and the FOM, but has faith that the Formula One 'family' will make the correct decision in the end. There will be no more press releases on this subject and we look forward to being allowed to show everyone our team in Bahrain."
Over the next few days, Campos Meta had morphed into Hispania while USF1 was clearly not going to happen.
Finally, on 3 March, the FIA released the official entry list for 2010 and, despite Eddie Jordan's assurances, Stefan GP wasn't included.
All went quiet, however, just a few days later, Pitpass - which had first revealed Stefanovic's complaint to the European Commission - ran an article regarding the financial situation of his engineering company AMCO, the company behind Stefan GP.
AMCO was originally set up in March 2008, we reported, and during that year had business income of just £280,000 (€310,000) with expenses of £321,000 (€356,000). Net income for the year was a minuscule £3,600 (€4,000) and it had the grand total of just one employee.
However, after being contacted by a number of readers in Serbia, we had to slightly revise the figures as it appeared we had got the exchange rate wrong. In reality, AMCO had business income of just £2,800 (310,000 Dinars), expenses of £3,200 (356,000 Dinars) and net income for the year of £40 (4,000 Dinars). Oh dear, not even enough for a decent toaster.
The 2010 season got underway and most of us, including Eddie Jordan soon forgot about Stefan GP, consigning the Serbian outfit to history, much like USF1.
However, last week, up popped Mr Stefanovic once again. Just days after announcing his intention to build an F1 race track in Serbia, he confirmed that he was seeking an entry in the 2011 world championship. Indeed, via his website he launched the 'We Want SGP' scheme, whereby fans can aid the outfit's entry bid by "writing We Want SGP in the craziest places possible".
In some ways, this scheme, indeed, much of Stefan GP's approach to all this, though amateur, has been somewhat endearing.
However, following last week's article on the proposed race track at Stara Pazova and the subsequent revelation that Stefan GP is aiming for an entry next season, Pitpass has been approached by a number of people. People who find Stefanovic's approach far from endearing.
We were contacted by people who fell for the dream, who believed what they were being told. We were approached by people who not only worked for Stefan GP for free but gave up the search for employment elsewhere because they believed the Serbian team was a viable project with serious funding and serious intentions.
By the time it was official that Stefan GP didn't have an entry it was irrelevant because there was no sensible infrastructure and the team, according to a source, was "a million miles away from (professionally) running two cars in Bahrain".
While the cars, engines etc were made available by Toyota - who, horror of horrors, wanted paying, as did the numerous suppliers - Pitpass can reveal that the 'equipment and spares' which were sent to Bahrain and Malaysia was "basically a box of folding chairs and office tables".
According to our sources, in the stores at Toyota's Cologne HQ, there is a pile of boxes and other mail for Stefan GP which has not only remained unclaimed, it also remains unpaid-for.
Our sources allege that during the short time Stefanovic had an office in Cologne many staff were working for free. Due to complications with the redundancy process, it was better for them to basically do work experience (in the eyes of the German tax authorities) until long-term contracts were given. These contracts would allegedly have been Serbian work contracts with a portion of the wages to be paid into an off-shore account.
According to one source, around the time Campos was heading for oblivion and USF1 were not quite toast, Stefanovic was telling people that Stefan GP had signed a contract with Dallara to buy the Campos chassis, which was entirely possible due to unpaid debts.
"He built a complete saga around this," says a source. "He said this was his plan, then a few days later he said he had been to meetings to discuss it, then a few days later he had signed it and now owned the Dallara chassis, basically pulling the rug out from under Campos' feet". However, considering Hispania currently racing that car in F1 and there was never any mention of Stefan having any rights to it, our source strongly suspect that this was "all complete fantasy".
While the Stefan GP website currently lists a dozen drivers that the team is interested in, let's not forget Stefanovic's claim that should his team not be granted an entry this year he would spend 2010 testing his car giving various up and coming youngsters their first taste of F1. Not that easy when you don't have a car, engine or tyres.
Whether Mr Stefanovic really does have the money for the Serbian race track, the technology park and the 2011 entry bid, only he knows. However, the fact is that there are a lot of people out there already ruing the day they fell for this particular dream.
We're not sure precisely what really motivates Mr Stefanovic's desire to be in Formula One, however, from what we've heard in recent days it might be best if he waits until he has a greater understanding of what the sport and its fans would expect of him. After all, based on the inadequacies of the 2010 selection process, particularly with regard due diligence, there's every chance he'll make it through this time.
As for the campaign calling on fans to write "we want SGP" in the craziest places, it would be nice to see Mr Stefanovic doing some writing of his own, preferably in the shape of cheques made out to those who believed in his dream first time around.
Fantasist or whatever, F1's already had more than its fair share.