Scorpion Racing, a group of investors looking to purchase the remains of the HRT F1 Team and its entry, are too late to join the 2013 grid according to Bernie Ecclestone.
The 82-year-old had told the American and Canadian group that should they complete the deal, running updated HRT chassis this season shouldn’t be a problem.
However he back-tracked on his comments after it became clear the FIA were unlikely to accept the offer.
“I’ve spoken to them and told them to get in touch with the FIA and ask for an entry,” he told the UK Press Association.
“They want to buy all the bits from HRT, then form a company and ask for an entry, but I personally don’t think it will happen.
“It’s all a bit too late. Maybe they could do it for next year,” he added.
It isn’t clear whether the suitors are willing to wait a season, given the assets they would be purchasing consist of a Cosworth engine deal, two chassis’s and the team’s entry.
The Cosworth deal won’t be relevant for 2014 when the new engine formula is introduced and the chassis’s will be unusable because of the regulation changes.
