Forgotten British F1 team could return to grid as comeback targeted by Kuwaiti investor

A forgotten British F1 team could return to the grid from the 2027 season with a Kuwaiti investor planning to enter the sport.

Caterham F1 Team was initially on the grid between 2012 and 2014.

It was founded by former QPR owner Tony Fernandes after the Malaysian businessman acquired Caterham Cars.

Fernandes had previously been involved in F1 with Lotus Racing, but after a legal dispute over the use of the iconic Lotus name, he formally requested that his constructor's title be changed from Lotus to Caterham for 2012.

The team did not possess the financial resources to compete with other teams, meaning they never scored a point in F1 - with their 2014 car regarded as one of the slowest cars of modern times.

Some notable drivers, however, did compete for the team, including Heikki Kovalainen, Kamui Kobayashi, future Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson and three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer - the latter albeit only for a single race.

Caterham entered administration and subsequently withdrawing from the sport at the end of the 2014 season.

Successful attempts were made to crowdfund Caterham's entry into the season-ending 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, having been unable to compete in the previous two races, but the team officially folded in March 2015.

Now, over 10 years on, an investor has surprisingly declared that he wants to return to F1 with the Caterham name.

Businessman Saad Kassis-Mohamed, a Kuwaiti national and board member of the hedge fund SKM Capital, says he intends to secure an entry into the sport for 2027.

Speaking to Indian sports magazine Sportstar, Kassis-Mohamed explained why he wants to use the Caterham name instead of forming a brand new entry: "Caterham has strong recall and no current grid presence.

"A brand licence shortens the marketing ramp without reviving the defunct corporate entity or its liabilities.

"We respect the thresholds set by FIA/F1. Our plan involves two options: a change of control transaction in an existing entrant or applying in the next FIA process as a compact, well-funded customer team with long-term PU supply."

Both Caterhams would finish a Grand Prix on only seven occasions in 2014 (Image: Getty)

The 24-year-old added he is 'confident of setting up the infrastructure and leadership group before [the end of] 2025, ahead of focusing on chassis systems and race operations' if his entry bid is approved by the FIA and F1 rights holders Liberty Media.

Caterham Cars, which is headquartered in Dartford, is currently owned by Japanese company VT Holdings.

The FIA had long been opposed to having more than 10 teams on the grid, until American car manufacturer Cadillac gained entry for 2026.

The last time there was more than 10 teams on the grid was back in 2016, with the FIA choosing not to permit a replacement entry for Manor after their closure in March 2017.

Now, the sport's governing body are open to a 12th team. President Muhammad Ben Sulayem stated last month that he would welcome entry applications, specifically mentioning bids from China.