May 6 (GMM) Colin Kolles on Thursday moved to dispel persistent rumours that HRT might not see the end of its debut season.

After struggling to survive in the winter before even turning a wheel, the new Spanish team is currently the least competitive of F1′s new outfits including Lotus and Virgin.

HRT, standing for Hispania Racing Team but founded as Campos Meta 1, even changed ownership before the season opening Bahrain grand prix, and the Dallara-built F110 car is not heavily sponsored.

Asked in Barcelona to dispel rumours that the team could fold before this year’s 19-race schedule is complete, team boss Kolles answered: “I don’t anticipate that the season is not guaranteed.

“I don’t know who has been saying that,” he added.

When informed by Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com that numerous sources are reporting the speculation, Kolles insisted: “I’m not aware of that.”

Asked to confirm that HRT is planning to race in 2011, the Romanian-born German replied: “Of course.”

Kolles said he is working “day and night” to secure more funding for the team, and baulked at reports that the return of KERS systems for 2011 is supported by established teams including McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and Williams.

He believes the energy recovery technology is “nonsense”.

“I cannot say it more clearly. I believe there are more important things than KERS,” Kolles said, insisting that use of the systems should not be compulsory.

“As a team we cannot be made to use KERS. And I think that if we do not use it, we are being more environmentally friendly,” he added, referring to the waste produced by the batteries.

This season start is on its way to become a real soap opera drama.  Even though, last week, Adrián Campos, angry with all that was being published hit the table with his fist assuring the Monday everything would be worked out, today the opposite was confirmed.

The Valencian is trying to save the Spanish team, but days go by without a solution to his financial difficulties –in spite of the time extension granted by Dallara until nest Wednesday-, and everything gets more and more complicated.

Even so that the agreement between the South African manager and Adrian Campos might be forgotten.

According to close sources, Tony Teixeira, has not been able to have the necessary liquidity to close the deal, thus leaving the Campos Meta 1, almost without options.  And if we say, ‘almost without options’ it is because those same sources have mentioned a possible purchase of the complete team, but with the condition that Adrian Campos would not lead the ‘scuderia.’

With this purchase, the team would leave Spain and the team’s personnel would not have a sure job position any longer.

Petrov needs a loan?

To continue with the soap opera, at Renault ranch, there are problems also, because if the French ‘scuderia’ initially officialized, Vitaly Petrov due to economic interests, the 15 million Euros per season that the Russian was supposed to contribute with are nowhere to be seen, at least that is what his father Alexander gave to understand, when he declared that Vitaly’s position is in jeopardy: “If we do not pay the first quota before March 1^st he may be substituted by another pilot.”

The 15 million Euros were supposed to be paid in two dates: one on March 1^st and the second on July 1^st.  However, it seems that his country’s sponsors were not aware of that.  The problem being that the manager of the Russian pilot has been knocking on the doors of 500 companies and getting the same answer: “He has been rejected every time,” confessed the pilot’s father indicating that: “Fortunately, a friend of mine, responsible for a bank in Saint Petersburg has given me a credit for 7.5 million Euros, but the bank has requested time to evaluate the guaranties.”

“Our hope is Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin who has received letters asking for help from the Russian Motor Federation, from the motoring sport and from the Sport Minister and the Parliament.”

The next episode of this soap opera “The Life of the F1″remains to be seen soon.

Bernie Ecclestone added more fuel to the fire when he made statements regarding the possibility that USF1 and Campos Meta 1 get a place in the grid of the first race at Bahrain. The F1 boss went even further by suggesting the both teams will miss the three first races of the season.
Ecclestone himself revealed there is a clause in the Concord Agreement which allows the teams to be absent at three races during the season. Even though most of the teams will not make use of it –due to the sponsorship contracts-, this could offer an extra period to Campos and USF1 to prepare for their debut in the Formula One.
“I think we won’t be seeing Campos nor the Americans, who are going to request to be absent to three races,” declared Ecclestone to Express. “According to the Concord Agreement the teams are authorized to be absent from three races.”
Both teams have insisted several times that they will run the first race of the season, even though Campos has admitted he is still looking for investors to pay the debts he has with the Dallara chassis manufacturer. On the other hand, the USF1 is ready for his final crash tests, and a number of reports suggest that the chassis is in a very advanced phase.
However, the Serbian, Stefan, who is developing the Toyota’s team F1 2010, is ready to intervene if necessary, suggested Ecclestone, saying that Stefan GP has gotten enough funds to be in conditions to participate in the races. “They have the Serbian government money. I have talked with the Prime Minister.” declared Ecclestone.
Formula One ex-pilots, Schumacher, Kazuki Nakajima and Jacques Villeneuve have been associated with the new team, that will make tests at the Algarve Portimao Race Circuit in Portugal, at the end of the month.

In spite of learning that the opportunity for participating in the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship with Renault has vanished with the confirmation of the Russian, Vitaly Petrov, the Spanish pilot, Andy Soucek is far from giving up. “For the time being, there’s nothing closed.  Negotiations have taken place and we have opened new options.  The two vacant seats are USF1 and Campos, but there are other alternatives that are also tempting me quite a lot, and all in Formula 1″, said Soucek.

“To be the first-team pilot is something that attracts all pilots –regardless of the team-, because what we want is to be in the grid.  But to be a reserve pilot is more important than being a test driver, because if something happens to the first-team pilot you take his place.  So this is something I have in mind if it would be a large team.  It would help me a lot and give me time to prepare for 2011, with one more year of experience in Formula 1.  It’s a role one should not rule out;” declared the Spanish pilot.

“I think I deserve the position of third pilot and I don’t think I have to pay for it.  That’s what interests me.  As a first-team pilot you have to have a big sponsor behind you, but as third pilot you can have a small sponsor or not even that, because they’re counting on you since you’re going to contribute with something to the team,” assured the Spaniard-Austrian pilot.

The thing being that more doors are closing every time, and more so with the possible arrival of Adrián Vallés to the USF1 team, which has a vacant seat.  Soucek said: “I don’t know if he has signed; I understand he hasn’t.  But, Adrián has always been ahead; he has raced very fast in all the championships he has participated.  He has been my team-mate and cannot say anything bad about him.  He’s very fast and he deserves it.  We haven’t talked and I cannot give more information.”

This way, it is confirmed that there is contact with USF1.  “Yes, there have been conversations, but this is like everything else: at the end, everybody talks with everybody else, and much more in a moment like this, when the teams are desperate for a pilot, as well as the pilots for a team.”

“I’m not going to allow desperation to get to me, and if I sign I want it to be something that helps me in my sport career; not that jeopardizes it.  So, whatever step I take is going to be well thought out, and I’ll see that the team with whom I sign gives me a guarantee of playing a decent role within the Formula One,” the pilot pointed out.

And what about Campos Meta 1 which has only confirmed the Brazilian, Bruno Senna? “For a month I’ve been in very advanced negotiations with Campos.  As has been announced in all media, Adrian is going through a very difficult moment.  I thing the same indecision and uncertainty we all have is what he’s experimenting, too,” Soucek reflected.

Based on Adrián Campos statements, today we have confirmed, that before next Monday, he will take care of the financial problems.  “Right now, he doesn’t know what’s going to happen.  He’s wishing that his team succeeds.  We all do.  It’s a Spanish team and it would be very important for motoring, but unfortunately there’s an economic problem with all the new teams, and besides, maybe the media is taking it out on him a bit too much.  Let’s hope he can solve the problem and then, it will be known who his second pilot will be,” he explained.