The N.Technology-run Alfa 156s achieved great success on the world's race tracks from the beginning of this decade up to the end of 2007. Factory drivers during that period included Brazilian Augusto Farfus (top) and Dutchman Olivier Tielemans (bottom). The International Formula Master single-seater race car has been designed to be a crowd-pleaser with its light-weight body and powerful engine.

The famous name of Alfa Romeo's former factory touring car racing team N.Technology has unexpectedly been thrown into the ring as one of the growing band of racing teams being linked with bids to join the F1 grid next year. The surprise entry has been lodged with the FIA by MSC Organization Ltd, the entity that bought the assets of the N.Technology team when it slipped into receivership last year, and which runs the popular International Formula Master junior single-seater series that supports the FIA World touring Car Championship.

A very brief statement issued by MSC Organization Ltd last night revealed little about the plans: "Angelo Codignoni and Mauro Sipsz, representing MSC Organization Ltd, in partnership with their financial advisor Jean-Pierre Morel and supported by their technical and sporting staff headed by Monica Bregoli, Andrea Adamo and Alessandro Alunni Bravi," read the short statement, "confirm that on 23 May 2009 MSC Organization Ltd - license no. 227308, issued by Royal Automobil Club Motor Sports Association - submitted to the FIA Internationale de l'Automobile the application to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship," the press release concluded. The N.Technology website has also been recently removed to be replaced with a blank page and "coming soon" message.

N.Technology has attained legendary status amongst Alfa Romeo enthusiasts' for the touring car titles it won with the Alfa 156 in the early part of the decade with top class driver line-ups that included famous names such as Fabrizio Giovanardi, Gabriele Tarquini, James Thompson, Augusto Farfus and Gianni Morbidelli. After winning the FIA European Super Touring Cup in 2000 with Giovanardi they then won the FIA European Touring Car Championship from 2001 to 2003 (twice with Giovanardi and once with Tarquini), before the team graduated to the new FIA World Touring Car Championship, and although titles weren't forthcoming it was always in the run for championship and continued to rack up the race wins with the now-elderly Alfa 156 right until the Italian sports car manufacturer ended its support at the conclusion of the 2007 season. N.Technology was also briefly involved in the Fiat Punto rally programme and it developed and built the GT1 category customer 575 GTC sports car for Ferrari.

The N.Technology-run Alfa 156s have rightly earned their place in the the win-laden, century-long history of the Milanese marque and the successful racers made their final appearance at the Bologna Motor Show in December 2007 when that year's lead driver James Thompson was joined by guest driver, MotoGP star Marco Melandri, in the traditional sports arena showcase. N.Technology struggled into 2008, retaining Thompson's services and now running Honda Accords, but without enough funding the team went into receivership and its assets were bought by MSC Organization Ltd.

N.Technology also developed and built the International Formula Master (IFM) single-seater series which is now in its third year. This junior 'staircase' formula supports the FIA World Touring Car Championship as well as some Formula 1 rounds and has the added bonus of satellite TV channel Eurosport's commitment as host broadcaster until 2012, which includes live TV coverage throughout the season including Sunday races shown live on Eurosport International, meaning that IFM drivers can benefit from excellent attention for this level of motorsport. The car has been designed to be a crowd-pleaser with its light-weight body and powerful engine. Powered by the Formula Master NTK20A, the 2009 updates on the single-seater include new engine covers, redesigned rear wings, added air brake ducts and new exhaust systems. Add in innovative cost-cutting measures, including restricted engine changes, limited private testing and controlled spare part costs, IFM boasts full grids.

According to the statement today the N.Technology outfit that is now pitching to join the F1 grid in 2010 has a management line-up that includes Eurosport CEO Angelo Codignoni, as well as N.Technology team founders Mauro Sipsz and Monica Bregoli, technical director Andrea Adamo and former Trident Racing managing director Alessandro Alunni Bravi.

The revived N.Technology team will be bidding for one of three slots on the grid that will be available if all the existing ten F1 teams continue into next year. The new hopefuls include Dave Richards' British-based Prodrive organisation which may run its entry under the Aston Martin brand name, long-time British race car constructor Lola which made a brief and disastrous foray into F1 in the mid-1990s, Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson's American based USF1 effort, former F1 driver Alex Wurz' Team Superfund, Spanish sports car team and race car constructor Epsilon-Euskadi, another entry from Spain in the form of Campos Racing and British F3 team Litespeed.