Tuesday March 12th, 2002

The Phoenix Formula One team will not be allowed to take part at this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix after the FIA have banned them from the race.

The new squad travelled to Malaysia this week with two cars for the Prost Grand Prix team, whose assets were purchased by Charles Nickerson, a British businessman, in the hope of being able to take part in the race with drivers Gaston Mazzacane and Tarso Marques.

But the sport's governing body has dashed the team's hopes by saying that they have not entered the 2002 Championship, and therefore they will not be able to race in Malaysia.

"The court has not transferred Prost Grand Prix itself nor made any attempt to transfer the Prost Grand Prix entry in the 2002 Formula One World Championship, either to Phoenix Finance Limited or to Mr Nickerson," said the statement from the FIA.

"The FIA has therefore informed Phoenix and Mr Nickerson that they are not entered in the 2002 FIA Formula One World Championship and that it cannot allow them to participate in Malaysia, even on a provisional basis."

Published at 19:43:05 GMT