Scuderia Ecosse has announced that it will not take part in the FIA GT Championship during the 2009 season.

The Ferrari team, which ran a single car in the series last season, will not take part despite being offered 'a number of exciting opportunities' for the year ahead and will instead focus its attention on preparing for the 2010 campaign, with team boss Stewart Roden admitting that he also had to focus on his other commitments during the current economic downturn.

“As well as managing the Scuderia Ecosse race team, myself and my senior management team are also responsible for running a highly successful prestige Bodyshop Repair business,” he said. “As such we have a moral and financial responsibility to the employees of that business to ensure that we are on hand to steer the company through what is, as everyone recognises, very difficult times for the economy.

“At the beginning of this year we secured a major new contract from one of the country's most respected insurance groups. On the back of this contract we have committed a considerable amount of capital investment to expand our existing state of the art facilities, which will allow us to continue to grow and expand the business this year and beyond.

“Although we are disappointed not to be racing this year we felt that it was important in the short-term to focus 100 per cent on our core business. We will however continue to support and attend our clients and friends at Ferrari Owners track days throughout the year at home and abroad.

“My commercial staff are already working flat out preparing for next season. We are currently in discussions with a number of potential sponsors and technical partners that are interested in supporting the team when we return in 2010 as a serious contender for both the FIA GT World Championship and Le Mans 24 Hrs.
 
I would very much like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have worked with and supported the team in recent seasons and in particular our sponsors, technical partners, employees and to wish Stephane, the SRO and all participating teams a successful and enjoyable season in 2009.”