Translated material
"Maroussia" in "Formula"
A Russian team appeared in the royal races
Russia continues an active attack on Formula 1. Following the Russian rider Vitaly Petrov, his own Grand Prix in Sochi and the tests of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a Russian team with the national name will appear at the wheel of a racing car in royal races. Yesterday, a significant package of shares of the Formula 1 team Virgin Racing was announced by the Russian company Marussia Motors. The new stable will be called Marussia Virgin Racing. Who specifically, how much and under what conditions he paid for the Virgin Racing shares remains a secret. It is only known that the project to create the Russian Formula-1 team is conceived and implemented by a showman, a race carrier, and recently the general director of the first Russian company for the production of sportsmen Nikolai Fomenko. But it is still unknown to which flag - Russian or British - the new team will perform from next year. The company has existed since 2007 and is engaged in the development and construction of sports models of car, enclosing on the territory where Lamborgini and Ferrari is engaged in the development and construction of sports models in the Russian spirit with a specialized Motors. But it is unlikely that Italian brands managed to feel the Russian threat. The fame of Marusi has not yet spread much further than Tverskaya Street in Moscow, on which the company's showroom is located. To declare yourself to the world through your own team in the most prestigious automobile competition is a powerful move for a novice automaker. After all, Ferrari also earned planetary fame at the authors.Like everything related to Formula 1 and Russia, the news about the acquisition of a “significant” package of shares of the Virgin Racing team on the information tapes of news agencies appeared suddenly, without any background. Although the contract was signed in London on November 6, the first information about the transaction appeared only a few days later, when Nikolai Fomenko had already arrived in Abu Dhabi, where the final stage of the season takes place.
The most general details reported that the team will receive the double name Marussia Virgin Racing, and, in addition, there are no other significant changes yet. The preparation of a new machine for the next season is already in full swing, and interfering in this process, changing the leading and technical personnel, would be a mistake. The colors of the team will remain the same-red-black-white. Most likely, the current composition of the pilots will also be preserved - the German Timo Glock and the Brazilian Lucas Di Grassie.
Prior to this, the leadership of Marussia Motors did not advertise its plans to create a team. This year, the manager of all affairs in Formula 1, Ecclestone did not accept a single application from those who wanted to participate in the 2011 championship. Largely due to disappointment from the performance of three departments of this season. Ecclestone even called the newcomers a burden for Formula 1. Each of these groups has its own organizational and financial difficulties of different depths, but the final result is one for everyone: zero in the column of points scored and the complete inability to compete with the old-timers. It is clear that trying to keep a certain level of the owner of Formula 1 has no desire to produce such “cripples”. Let these become firmly on their feet. Or completely disappear. Therefore, it turned out to be easier for the Russians to go already a beaten path and buy a valid team than trying to create something in a bare place.
The first season, the Virgin Racing team in Formula 1 belongs to the British entrepreneur Richard Branson, whose condition is more than 3 billion pounds. Last year, with his sponsorship, Brown won the Cup of Designers, and Jenson Batton became a champion. After the purchase of Brown, Mercedes Branson decided to create his own team. But the owner of the Englishman was mean. The team financing was one of the lowest in Formula 1-$ 64 million. Starting from the middle of the season, there were stable rumors about the sale of the team. Perhaps the appearance of Marussia Virgin Racing saved Virgin from death.
On Thursday, a press conference with the participation of Nikolai Fomenko and representatives of the Virgin Racing team took place in a hotel located in the immediate vicinity of the Yas Marina highway. However, even after the software speeches sounding on it, clarity was no longer. Fomenko said that the Russian team in Formula 1 is seriously for a long time. The next goals are the struggle for a place in the first ten in three seasons. Naturally, Russian mechanics and pilots will work in the Russian team. But Vitaly Petrov Marussia Virgin Racing will not yet be able to provide a fast car. Namely, this, according to Nikolai, is necessary for our racer in order to develop further.
The sports leader of the Virgin Racing team John Bout explained that the contract with Marussia Motors is designed for four years and we are not talking about the complete absorption of one company another. This is rather cooperation aimed at joint development, and the Russian side is considered more as a sponsor. The fundamental question about the "citizenship" of the "Marusi" has remained unanswered. After all, the team appears under the flag of that country, the federation of which issued her a license. Virgin performed under the British, and whether Branson wants to change "Union Jack" to the Russian tricolor is unknown.
Nevertheless, a year ago, the appearance of a Russian rider at the court of the “Queen of Motorsport” seemed a pipe dream. The past unfulfilled projects of autrods forced to look doubtfully towards the Russian borders of even such an inveterate optimist as Bernie Ecclestone. All our attempts to break through to the Higher League of Motorsport limited themselves to a performance under the Russian flag of the Midland team in 2006.
Then it was a strange whim of Canadian billionaire Alex Schneider, born in the USSR and having business interests in Russia. Having bought a team from Eddie Jordan, Schneider held a pompous presentation on Red Square, promised the employment of the Russian pilot and unsuccessfully searched for Russian sponsors. One season was enough for him to figure out where and what money he got, and at the end of the season he sold the Spikeker team. So the Russian trace in Formula 1 turned out to be short and unforgettable: for 18 races, Midland did not score a single point.
Meanwhile, the royal races in the coming weekend close the season. The second year in a row in the Cup of Designers (team championship "Formula 1") the stable wins, which had never previously owned this honorary trophy. Such a powerful new wave in the most prestigious racing class has not been observed for a long time. Perhaps such an influx of fresh blood can be compared with the breakthrough that in the 70s of the last century the young McLaren and Williams was successful, which squeezed the big prizes of traditional favorites on Olympus. And it’s good that at that time Bernie Ecclestone was still engaged in the affairs of only his own Brabem team and did not dispose of the fate of all participants in the World Cup. Because both McLaren and Williams did not immediately gain the championship status, but they were not determined in the “cripples” after the first unsuccessful season. It is worth waiting, and, perhaps, in five years and our “Maroussia” will be on equal terms with “red bulls” and “silver arrows”.
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- // 12.11.2010
- // 12.11.2010
- // 12.11.2010
