Midland become Formula One's first Russian team
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-18 11:30

Russian federation president Victor Kiryanov said he was confident the country's presence would grow while Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he was also pleased with the development.

"Russian motor sport needs support from big business to develop," said Kiryanov. "Getting a Russian team into Formula One is a crucial step forward...

"Acquiring the Russian licence marks the first step of a long journey for the Russian motorsport and for our country toward reaching the highest levels of international motorsport.

"I hope that some day, thanks to our joint efforts, Russian drivers will be racing and excelling in Formula One," added the Russian.