Dave Richards, the head of the often-ignored Prodrive motorsport company, has said that his team may consider a fresh bid for a Formula One grid spot in 2013, but added that his focus was on other series as things stood.
Prodrive have attempted to secure a grid spot on a number of occasions over the last decade in the sport, but have been passed up each time.
In the mid 2000s, the team secured an entry from the FIA, but were forced to withdraw when the governing body banned customer cars, which ruined their plans to enter with a pair of year-old McLarens.
Undaunted, the team bid for one of the new grid spots for 2010 but were passed up in favour of the motley collection of Virgin Racing, HRT, Team Lotus and the stillborn USF1 project.
A further attempt from Richards to buy out the Renault squad at the end of 2009 also failed, when the French manufacturer took the offer from Luxembourg-based businessman Gerard Lopez instead.
Since then, Richards has taken the hint, and refused to lodge a bid for the vacant spot on the 2011 grid made available by the collapse of USF1.
But he admitted on Friday that he may consider a fresh entry application when the new F1 engine rules come in for the start of the 2013 season.
"The obvious next point to look at Formula 1 is 2013 with the massive change in regulations that come along at that point in time, and if you were to consider an entry that would be the time to go," he explained during an interview at the Autosport International show.
But he insisted that the priorities of Prodrive lay elsewhere for the short-term, with the company tasked with running Aston Martin's Le Mans campaign and the new Mini World Rally Championship entry this season.
"We always keep a close eye on everything, but my priority today is to get the Mini up and running for the World Rally Championship and to get Aston Martin competitive in time for Le Mans," he shrugged.
The 13th grid slot on the F1 grid remains open for the future after the FIA dismissed the few entries it attracted for 2011.
Assuming the 12 current teams make it to 2013, the 13th spot is the final one available for that season, and reports have already suggested that Prodrive may have stiff competition from a Volkswagen works team for that position.
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