London: Marussia's hopes of competing in the Formula One championship using last year's car have been dented after the F1 Strategy Group failed to back the venture.
Marussia missed the last three races of last season after going into administration, and is trying to secure a new backer. The season starts in Melbourne, Australia, on March 15.
To use the 2014 car, the team needed majority approval from the Group comprising motorsport's governing body—the FIA—F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, and the top six teams of Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Williams and Force India.
Force India was among those to vote against on Thursday.“During the meeting it emerged there were compliance issues, and that the application lacked substance,” Force India deputy principal Bob Fernley said. “The speculative submission contained no supporting documentation to reinforce the case for offering special dispensation. For example, no details were supplied of who the new owners would be, or the operational structures that would be put in place.”
Marussia, renamed as Manor, is provisionally entered on the 2015 team list.
Marussia's hopes were initially raised last month after a planned auction to sell the team's remaining assets was cancelled. It wants to exit administration on Feb. 19.
