Dinnington, South Yorkshire - Marussia's hopes of rising from the dead to race in next month's Formula One season-opener in Australia have suffered a setback after rivals rejected a proposal to let it compete with last year's cars.
Formula One commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone told the Independent newspaper on Friday: “It needed all the teams to agree and there were three or four of them that didn't.
“Maybe the other teams would have liked to use last year's car,” he added. “The trouble was that you can't do these things for one team, you have got to do it for everybody,”
Formula One's strategy group, which currently comprises Mercedes, Red Bull, Williams, Ferrari, McLaren and Force India plus the governing FIA and commercial rights holders, met in Paris on Thursday.
Their decisions still have to be approved by the FIA's Formula One Commission, but that is usually a formality.
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Marussia went into administration and ceased trading last October, missing the final three races of 2014. Despite its absence, it still finished ninth overall and ahead of Sauber and Caterham.
That position, as well as 10th the previous year, means it would be in line for some £30 million (R519 million) in prize money.
The team has paid its entry fee for 2015, as Manor Grand Prix, and plans to come out of administration on 19 February.
Being allowed to use last year's car until a new one was ready would have made life easier but the refusal to let it do so may not be a deal-blocker since teams can miss three races.
That would mean it has until Bahrain in April to build a car to the 2015 regulations, which differ mainly in nose height, and pass crash tests.
Marussia's Banbury factory has been sold, with the US-owned Haas team planning to use it as its European base when it enters F1 next year, but Manor has a facility in Dinnington, northern England.
Reuters