Feb.20 (GMM) USF1 wants permission to miss the first four races of its debut season in 2010, team principal Ken Anderson has admitted.

With the Charlotte based outfit having responded to the latest wave of rumours by insisting "we are not gone", Anderson has now told the New York Times that USF1 is in financial trouble.

"We're working with the FIA to clarify how many races we can miss," he told the newspaper.

Anderson said the Concorde Agreement allows a team to miss three races per season, but the sport's governing body recently clarified that it would "constitute an infringement" of the rules.

He said he is waiting for a reply from Jean Todt, adding: "In an ideal world, we can miss the first four races and show up in Barcelona."

Anderson admitted that the FIA might turn down USF1's request and put the team out of business.

"I guess anything's possible. But what would be the point of that?" he said.

"Why would they give us a franchise and just, the first time there's a bump in the road, yank it and put it out of business? That's definitely not the message that I'm getting from them. They want to help us, not shut us down," added Anderson.

He said a quick answer from the FIA president "triggers funding and we're good to go".

"If it takes another week or two to make a decision, it keeps backing up," said Anderson.

He also clarified that Jose Maria Lopez remains under contract to race for USF1 in 2010, but did not contradict rumours that the Argentine could sign with another team.

"I'm sure he's weighing his options as well," Anderson admitted, also denying that YouTube's Chad Hurley and sporting director Peter Windsor had left the team.

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