US F1 will make us proud, says FIA Senate head

London: The new US F1 team have paid their entry fee for next season and will be on the 2010 starting grid, according to a senior member of Formula One`s governing body.

Nick Craw, the International Automobile Federation`s newly-elected Senate president, dismissed lingering speculation about the team`s future in an interview with the US-based Speed TV cable network."There are probably some people who would like to see the US team fall by the wayside so they could have their spot on the grid," said the American, part of the FIA`s new leadership under president Jean Todt. "In the old days... we used to never count an entry as being real until the cheque had arrived and had cleared. And of course entry fees were non-refundable," he added. "If you want any proof as to whether US F1 is going to be there or not, they sent their entry fee in 10 days ago and the number is close to $440,000 so they are going to be there and they are going to make us proud." Craw has twice visited the team`s factory in Charlotte, North Carolina, to check on their preparations for 2010 and he said the equipment was in place along with "an army of engineers beavering away." Formula One`s commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said in September that he feared US F1 could be doubtful for next season. Craw was also hopeful that Formula One would return to the United States soon, most likely at a temporary street circuit. The last U.S. Grand Prix was at Indianapolis in 2007."I think everybody from the commercial rights holder to the teams and the sponsors to all the drivers see the absence of a US Grand Prix as being a huge liability," he said. "It`s the number one market in the world and everyone wants to be there and needs to be there." "Having said that, there is only one circuit in the United States that has a grade one licence, which is what you need for Formula One, and that`s Indianapolis. And there`s probably no deal forthcoming there," he added. "If you`ve seen some of the Taj Mahals that have been built for the Formula One circuit these days, I don`t see any budget for that in the United States," continued the American. "So I think the likelihood is much higher that we will see a temporary street circuit in and around a major metropolitan area and there are two or three right now that are looking at that possibility." "So I am reasonably optimistic that can be brought to bear in the fairly near future." Nine circuits have hosted Formula One races in the United States over the years, including makeshift ones such as that laid out in 1981 and 1982 in the car park of Caesar`s Palace hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Ecclestone said in September that New York would be top of his list of possible US venues. Bureau Report