Midland F1

Midland F1 is a Russian Formula One team. It was created by Russian-born Canadian Alex Shnaider, co-founder of the Midland Group, a construction company most active in Russia.

Related Topics:
Russian - Formula One - Canadian - Alex Shnaider - Midland Group

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Midland Group bought Jordan Grand Prix in 2005. Buying Jordan Grand Prix means that Midland F1 do not have to pay the $48 million deposit required in order to enter Formula One. Midland will also have immediate access to television revenues. The team will continue to be known as Jordan for the 2005 Formula One season, but will change its name to Midland F1 for the 2006 season. Midland plans to run Russia's first Formula One driver. Midland have employed the Russian driver Roman Rusinov to test a Dallara chassis.

Related Topics:
Jordan Grand Prix - 2005 - 2005 Formula One season - 2006 - Roman Rusinov

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Even for a transition period, the 2005 Formula One season has been difficult for Jordan / Midland. The team stuggled all season with a poor chassis and seemingly unremarkable drivers. A number of deals have also not gone according to plan. The team was initially going to run with Dallara chassis from the start of 2006. However, this deal seems to have fallen through, and Midland will build their own chassis, with Dallara taking a more consultative role. The team also employed Trevor Carlin, owner of the Formula Three team Carlin Motorsport, as team principal in 2005. But he left after just seven races, apparently finding the long commute to the team's Silverstone base unsatisfactory, and deciding he would rather spend his time on Carlin Motorsport.

Related Topics:
2005 Formula One season - Dallara - 2006 - Trevor Carlin - Formula Three - Carlin Motorsport - Silverstone

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A long-term engine supplier has not yet been confirmed either. Whilst Jordan's Toyota engines will still be used in 2005, Midland is said to have tried to acquire Ferrari engines. For the 2006 season, Midland will again use Toyota engines.

Related Topics:
Toyota - Ferrari - 2006

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At the 2005 Monaco Grand Prix, rumours abounded that Midland and Shnaider were already looking to sell the team, due to the costs and politics of F1. These rumours were fuelled by ex-F1 pilot Eddie Irvine's arrival in the pitlane, claiming to be the figurehead of a group of investors, including himself, who would purchase Jordan. Midland has thus far denied the rumours, but such talk does perhaps reaffirm that Midland's interests in F1 are in the business rather than the sport, and should owning an F1 team not generate enough profit and exposure for the company, they may not hesitate to sell.

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The last ever drivers for Jordan Grand Prix are Portugal's Tiago Monteiro and India's Narain Karthekeyan, the first Indian driver in Formula 1. Narain has had a lengthy period building up to Formula One, with reasonable success, but has particularly been tapped by Midland to give them a significant opening into India, where he ranks amongst the top-most sporting stars. Monteiro meanwhile has proved to be a reasonable match for his teammate so far in 2005, with a very strong reliability record.

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Alex Shnaider has also revealed that he plans to set up a Midland Formula Three team, which he would use to develop young Russian drivers. This was likely to take the form of extra funding to Trevor Carlin's Formula Three team, but following Carlin's departure from Midland this now seems unlikely.

Related Topics:
Formula Three - Trevor Carlin

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