Russian GP has been long time coming

Walkinshaw, who is involved in the project through his TWR Group, has a dozen staff working on the design of the track which is to be situated on Nagatino Island, seven kilometres from Moscow.

Plans for the Nagatino complex were announced by Ecclestone on Friday and all that stands between it hosting a GP is a date on the F1 calendar.

"Bernie has said he has been interested in having a race there for many years," said Walkinshaw who was in Russia on Friday for the announcement. "He said he was there 12 years ago and he wanted to make it happen then.

"We will build the team up and the final layout will be ready in about four or five weeks. Then work can get started. People up there are fairly confident it should be ready for 2003. It just depends when Bernie decides to put it on the calendar.

Access to the circuit will be via a three-lane motorway with its own underground rail stop and a ferry terminal similar to the Montreal circuit on Notre Dame island in the St Lawrence Seaway.

"It has got superb access by road, rail and water," added Walkinshaw. "It will be very convenient and it is a super location because it is right in the heart of the city."

Hermann Tilke, designer of the award-winning Sepang circuit in Malaysia, was also in Moscow this week with Walkinshaw and Ecclestone and will help with the
Layout of the Russian facility.

For full Tom Walkinshaw Q&A, click here.