Formula One: NZ-based bid to join F1 rejected

Rodin Carlin team members work on a car during F1 Academy testing at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France. Photo / Getty

An application by Mt Lyford-based company Rodin Cars to enter Formula One has been rejected, according to reports.

Rodin Cars entered a proposal to the FIA, the sport’s governing body, which was turned down. The proposal from the company, which currently has a team racing in Formula Two under Rodin Carlin, included building their cars in New Zealand while one of their two drivers would have had to be a female.

“Rodin Cars participated in the recent FIA process aimed at gaining entry into the prestigious Formula One World Championship,” Rodin’s Australian founder David Dicker said in a statement to media.

“Unfortunately, our bid was not successful.”

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Rodin Cars could still have some involvement with Formula One however with Dicker saying in the statement that Rodin had “the opportunity of discussions for a Ferrari collaboration on the Rodin F1 car”.

Australian businessman David Dicker is behind Rodin Cars. Photo / George Heard

The Rodin Cars headquarters is based in the shadow of the Mt Lyford ski area, a two hour drive north of Christchurch. Rodin is the majority stakeholder in the Rodin Carlin race team, who current Kiwi Formula One driver Liam Lawson raced for in F2 last year.

The Rodin Cars base features a state-of-the-art factory and custom built test tracks within its 550-hectare site.

Andretti Global, run by former F1 driver Michael Andretti, is now expected to be the only bid that will be put forward by the FIA for consideration.

The current 10 Formula One teams are likely to reject any new bids along with the US$200-million entry fee that would be shared among them.