Johansson considers F1 team

The Swede, who has run a series of Champ Car and ALMS teams in the US over the last decade, is the latest to have been enticed by FIA president Max Mosley's proposals to open up regulations regarding entering the F1 World Championship and allow teams to buy customer chassis and engines from current F1 constructors. F3000 frontrunners Arden International and BCN Competicion have already signalled their interest in starting up private F1 programmes.

"I'm looking at the idea of setting up a privateer F1 effort," said Johansson. "The FIA has been very helpful.

"It's still early stages but if we can get some key decisions soon it's still possible for next year, but I would say it's maybe more likely for 2006."

It is believed that Johansson has already had preliminary discussions with McLaren who he raced for in 1987 alongside Alain Prost.