The long awaited return
of legendary Italian single-seater chassis constructor
Dallara to Formula 1 this year after an absence of
almost two decades is to fizzle out as it won't continue
supplying cars to the Spanish Hispania Racing Team. The
news was announced in a statement issued jointly by
Hispania Racing and Dallara today and it will bring to
an end what has been a generally unhappy relationship
from the start.
Dallara first arrived in F1 in 1988 supplying cars to
the BMS Scuderia Italia team, an arrangement that lasted
until 1992. After several mooted grand prix returns that
never came off Dallara was commissioned last year to
supply chassis to the proposed new entry from Spanish
team Campos Meta 1, with Cosworth supplying the engines.
Campos Meta 1 was never able to find the financing and
the ailing project was rescued in February by another
Spanish businessman, Jose Ramon Carabante, reportedly
with funding coming from F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to
help the team to the grid. Along the way there were many
reports of unpaid bills to Dallara and even talk that
Dallara had sold the chassis to another F1 hopeful,
Stefan GP, while from Hispania's side leading
technicians and drivers all roundly criticised the
quality of the car.
According to a
statement issued today: "HRT F1 Team, Hispania Racing,
and Italian chassis manufacturer Dallara Automobili
S.p.A have together agreed on amicable terms not to
pursue their collaboration. The decision follows talks
held over the last few months about the future of their
collaboration. The two partners experienced a
challenging start to the 2010 Formula 1 World
Championship season, where everyone at Dallara
Automobili S.p.A worked extremely hard in a fight
against time to be ready for the season opener at
Bahrain International Circuit. Their persistent and
determined efforts paid off as HRT F1 Team, Hispania
Racing, pulled up to the starting line of the 2010
Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix ready to go."
A whirlwind of pre season activity at Dallara once some
funds were flowing allowed the team to meet its tight
deadline to appear in Bahrain after a race against time.
Since its inaugural race Hispania Racing, has completed
all six F1 rounds despite the fact that in all this
time, according to the team, no further chassis
development was made to the cars by Dallara. The
collaboration, deemed by many to be an impossible task,
says the team, resulted in the creation of the team’s
Cosworth V8 powered F110, which was the very first car
to be produced in the colours of Hispania Racing. The
team has however been woefully off the grand prix pace
so far, comfortably the least competitive of the three
new teams to enter F1 this year (the other two being
Virgin and Lotus), has failed to collect any points,
while the Hispania F110 single seater has been virtually
devoid of sponsors.
"Following the completion of six rounds of the 2010
Formula 1 World Championship, HRT F1 Team, Hispania
Racing, and Dallara Automobili S.p.A have agreed that
what they have achieved in such a short period of time
was more than could have been reasonably expected," the
statement added. "The two parties wish each other the
best of luck in all future endeavours. HRT F1 Team,
Hispania Racing will continue to develop and improve the
Dallara designed F110 chassis via its own development
program. The details as to the outstanding terms of
their business agreement remain confidential, and no
further comment will be issued."
