During the months in which the FIA opened registration for an eleventh and possibly a twelfth team, the focus was mainly on Cadillac, the American outfit that ultimately did secure a place in Formula 1. However, several other potential teams also attempted to enter the sport.

Often chancers, such as LKY SUNZ led by CEO Benjamin Durand, were among them, a project that never seriously got off the ground. Teams like Rodin Carlin and Hitech, both of which also compete in Formula 2 and Formula 3, likewise tried to make the step up to Formula 1.

In the end, they all received a ‘no’ from the FIA, having allegedly failed to meet the stated requirements. Every rejected team accepted that decision except Hitech. In relative silence, the British team, led by former Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes, apparently lodged a protest.

The FIA, however, was unmoved; no remained no. That left a bad taste among Hitech’s owners, who reportedly felt the registration process had been conducted solely to help Cadillac secure a place on the Formula 1 grid.

Any other entry, they believed, would have been doomed from the outset, while significant sums had to be paid merely to attempt entry. Moreover, assembling a credible bid involved considerable costs.

Wasted money, then, thought Hitech, which decided to take the matter to court. The team allegedly argued that the selection process had not been fair and that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was biased, (in the sense that only Cadillac was wanted in Formula 1.)

The exact details of the case remain unknown, as it is understood that at the request of both parties the judge ruled that proceedings be conducted behind closed doors. However, it emerged this week that Hitech partly won the case and that the FIA was ordered to pay damages.

Reportedly, the amount is not substantial and is not linked to lost revenue from competing in Formula 1. Instead, it appears to be a smaller sum, suggesting that the costs incurred during the application process must be reimbursed to Hitech.

In any case, it is clear that Hitech will not be granted entry to Formula 1 as a twelfth team. That the FIA mishandled aspects of the registration process, however, now appears difficult to dispute.

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