Midland plans gather pace

Earlier this year MidlandF1 announced its intention to join Formula One in 2006 and although things have been quiet since, plans are gathering pace. Alexander Radunsky, the team's managing partner for Russia, has said that Boris Yeltsin Junior will be marketing director, responsible for dealing with foreign sponsors and advertising events.

"I made a proposal to him about one and a half months ago and he agreed almost immediately," Radunsky told the Kommersant newspaper in regard to the grandson of Russia's former President. "After all, Boris Yelstin is a brand and that cannot be denied. His potential should be used in full."

Various media outlets have been speculating for some time that Midland is close to signing a deal with Mexican driver Mario Dominguez, who was CART rookie of the year in 2002. Alex Shnaider, owner of the Midland Group, would not confirm the identity of any drivers but did admit a Mexican was likely.

"At the moment we are negotiating with one Mexican driver," he said. "We have struck a preliminary contract with his manager and it looks like he will be racing for us."

Midland originally planned to build its own team from scratch but recent reports suggest that the group has not yet given up on the idea of buying an existing team. Speculation has it that Jordan is the outfit Midland is interested in, but some say it's just a ruse by Eddie Jordan to push up the asking price to Arden's Christian Horner.