Formula One's new entrants will be allowed to miss the first three races of the season and avoid punishment, International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Jean Todt said Tuesday. F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone has consistently said he does not expect US F1 and Campos to be ready for the season-opening race in Bahrain on March 14. “In the last draft of the Concorde agreement it's written that a team can skip three races,” Todt, who has replaced Max Mosley as world motorsport head, told a media briefing in Paris. US F1 and Campos, two of four completely new teams this season, have so far both named only one of their two drivers. They have yet to launch their cars, missed the first test in Valencia last week and will skip this week's session in Jerez. Former Spanish driver Adrian Campos has said he hopes to settle the future of his new team this week, having already signed Brazilian Bruno Senna, nephew of the late Ayrton. Tony Teixeira, the boss of the A1 GP series, told Reuters last month he was in talks to buy into Campos while Serbia's Stefan GP say they are all but ready to replace a failed new team and have Ecclestone as a backer. Todt remains cautious, however. “If one of them doesn't make it, it doesn't mean another team comes in. It's up to the FIA to decide if they have the credentials,” the former Ferrari chief said. Virgin has already launched its car and fellow new team Lotus is set to unveil its Friday, after Red Bull's presentation at the Jerez test Wednesday. Todt also said he was against Mosley's budget cap which caused much anger among teams last year but wanted to continue to reduce costs, although he supported the expensive KERS energy recovery system which has been dropped this year. He said he would serve only one term as FIA president, joking that he was not paid enough, and expressed surprise that a Paris court had overturned the FIA's life ban on former Renault boss Flavio Briatore for fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Force India unveils car Force India unveiled its new car Tuesday, saying greater stability than other Formula One teams would boost its chances this season. Vijay Mallya's team finished ninth out of 10 last season but improved significantly in the closing stages and is bullish for 2010 despite missing a deadline to file its annual accounts. It has been a smooth transition for the VJM03 from last year's car which again uses a Mercedes engine and McLaren gearbox, whereas the start of last season was hit by a late switch of suppliers. The back of the car has changed most significantly given the team has had more time to develop a double diffuser after having to rush the introduction of last year's version when authorities decided early in the season that the device was legal. A ban on refuelling during the race has led to bigger fuel tanks and increases the VJM03's length, while the team says it will develop an adjustable front flap this year. The car, which will be tested for the first time in Spain's Jerez in the next four days having missed the first test in Valencia last week, has a carbon fibre composite monocoque Chassis with Zylon legality side anti-intrusion panels.
