N.Technology Loses Lawsuit Against the FIA

N.Technology, one of the teams that wanted to be part of the 2010 Formula One roster next year, has apparently lost its case against the International Automobile Federation (FIA) this week. The Italian team was unsatisfied with the criteria used by the FIA officials to pick entries for the upcoming season and issued a legal case against the ruling body a few months ago.

As reported by some media in France, the rulers of the Paris' Tribunal de Grande Instance decided to give FIA the advantage in this case and gave a negative verdict to N.Technology.

What the Italian team – as well as other teams as well – had to argue regarding the decision-making process within the FIA was the fact that the ruling body only considered the teams willing to partner British engine manufacturer Cosworth in the series.

Prior to FIA's entry list process earlier this year, the international federation signed a partnership with Cosworth for the production of standard engines in Formula One. However, the British company conditioned the deal with the signing of at least 5 teams within the Formula One roster. Considering that only two teams seemed to be interested in the offer – Toro Rosso and Williams – the teams claimed that the FIA followed their own agenda and accepted only the outfits willing to sign Cosworth as an engine partner.

Currently, US Grand Prix Engineering, Campos Grand Prix, Manor Grand Prix and Lotus F1 Team (meaning all the newly entrants for next season) have all signed partnerships with Cosworth for the upcoming Formula One season.