Carlin to front MidlandF1

It's been reported that F3 team boss Trevor Carlin will run the MidlandF1 team that announced recently it intends to enter Formula One in 2006. Carlin, with whom Takuma Sato won the British F3 championship in 2001, also has teams in junior British Formula BMW and the Nissan World Series.

"I've got to start building a team now to be ready to run in testing from the middle of next year," Carlin said, according to Autosport. "It's very rare to get the opportunity to go in at the beginning and do it the way you want to do it. I was never going to land a senior management role at Williams or McLaren."

Carlin said the team will be run "very efficiently" and he will be careful with the finances: "I'll spend the money as if it's my own and we'll cut out the excess that's been in F1 for the past 10 years. How many other F1 bosses do you find washing wheels?"

Midland has yet to announce an engine supplier but the chassis will be built by Dallara. According to the rumour mill, the fledgling team is interested in the services of former Jordan man Gary Anderson for the engineering department.

It's too early for any driver decisions but Anthony Davidson is reportedly being considered. Davidson was teammate to Sato at Carlin in 2001 and is currently teammates with the Japanese at BAR.

Midland have not confirmed Carlin's involvement as yet.