(RacingWire) - Formula One's commercial rights holder thinks new F1 entrants USF1 and Campos will fold before the start of the 2010 season.  This despite word yesterday that USF1's first chassis is out of the autoclave and the team has paid the $450,000 entry free for the 2010 season.

Ecclestone was quoted in the Times of London. “I think the people we expected to perform will and those that we thought wouldn’t, won’t,” he said.

US F1 team boss Peter Windsor told BBC Sport: "I'm surprised Bernie said that. We will be there. We're in good shape.  Everything is going well and we are looking forward to the year."

"We are trying to find the best drivers we can; there's no rush," said Windsor.  "We have no date [for car completion]. It's difficult to predict when that date would be.  However, there will be a moment when we announce the drivers at the factory and that will be some time towards late January."

Wndsor made his comments to BBC Sport.

Ecclestone says he expects 24 cars to start the opening race in Bahrain in March.

If USF1 and Campos don' t make the grid it brings the entry list down to 22 cars.  That indicates Ecclestone thinks another team will step up to take one of the entry spots.