Mosley fears F1 grid could be reduced to 10 teams for 2003

MOTOR racing boss Max Mosley fears the Formula One grid could be reduced to 10 teams in 2003 — even if Arrows survive.

Mosley, president of FIA, admitted that possibly two other teams still have a question mark about them.

"It would be nice to have 22 cars but I think 20 is more probable," said Mosley, in a television interview for the official launch of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

"Not necessarily because of Arrows, but because there are another team or two that are not 100% in good shape. But we are keeping our fingers crossed they will be there in March."

The 11 teams that competed last season are all said to have paid the £200,000 (313,000) entry fee for the 2003 championship by last Friday's deadline, with the official line-up being announced by FIA in early December.

Speculation surrounds the future of Oxfordshire-based outfit Arrows who missed six of the final seven races last season because of cash problems.

Arrows said last week they are in talks with a German investor. The company was named in reports as German Grand Prix Racing which was said to be working on behalf on Arab investors.

But even if a deal is concluded it does not guarantee Arrows a place on the grid as they lost their rights under the Concorde Agreement which governs the sport after missing so many races.

If it was decided a new team had, in effect, been created then it would have to lodge a bond of around £35million (€55m) with the governing body.

Several teams have lost key sponsorship deals, while the sport was hit last year when Prost Grand Prix went bankrupt.

Jordan announced last week that their £15million (€23m) deal with Deutsche Post will finish at the end of the year though the team are confident of finding a new main sponsor.

Minardi boss Paul Stoddart has said he is looking for more sponsors but insists he is determined to be on the grid in 2003.

Meanwhile, Swiss-based Formula One team Sauber will launch their 2003 challenger on February 9 in Zurich.

The unveiling of the Ferrari-powered C22 car will take place at Zurich-Oerlikon, close to the airport.

Sauber finished a highly-creditable fifth in the Manufacturers' Championship last season with 11 points.