Next Russian drivers emerge on Formula One radar

Aug.8 (GMM) Amid the country's rising presence in the sport, the next Russian drivers have appeared on the Formula One radar.

The Black Sea coastal city of Sochi is set to host the inaugural Russian Grand Prix next year, the supercar maker Marussia has a F1 team, and struggling Sauber has been bailed out by a swathe of Russian government-linked entities.

And the next Russian connection with Formula One could involve the great British team Williams, who in recent days have been linked with the new Russian GP2 team Russian Time.

Italiaracing reports a link between the ownership of the Russian Time team and the father of Artem Markelov, an 18-year-old competing in the German F3 series.

Elsewhere, Oksana Kosachenko, the former manager of Russia's first F1 driver Vitaly Petrov, has reportedly started working with a new Russian hopeful, Nikolay Martsenko.

It has been rumoured Kosachenko is set to step down as commercial director of the F1 team Caterham.

"Actually, I have two interesting proposals," she told Russia's Championat, insisting that, at the moment, she is still working for Caterham.

Kosachenko, however, played down suggestions Martsenko is poised to make the leap into F1.

"We are discussing Nikolay seriously, but I met with his father just recently and we have a clear conviction that he needs a third season in the Renault world series," she said.