Midland Hopeful of Using Ferrari Engines

The new Midland Formula One team are talking to Ferrari and Cosworth over a possible supply of engines for their debut season, according to Russian-born chairman Alex Shnaider.

"It would be good to have a Ferrari engine on the Midland cars. It's a possibility at the moment," Shnaider told Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "I'm waiting for some answers, and from Cosworth too. We'll take a decision within three months."

The Midland Group announced last month that it was setting up a team to compete in Formula One from the start of the 2006 season. The car will be built by Dallara, the Parma-based company which made its Formula One debut in 1988 before leaving the sport in 1992.

"I've just got to know Mr Dallara and it was confirmation of what I've been told about him as a person and as a professional," Shnaider added. "It was Bernie Ecclestone advising me. I've come to Varano only now, as the contract was made by my colleagues in August.

"The team's base will be at Carlin's Motorsport near Silverstone, where 70 members of staff will work. But the cars will be designed and built in Italy, in the future too."

The team, who hope to make their track debut in the Summer of 2005, are yet to make any approaches to drivers, but Shnaider said they will opt for experienced ones for their first season.

"Many have offered their services, but we'll decide later," he added. "We'll start with two experienced drivers plus a Russian one for the tests. There are two or three Eastern drivers who show a lot of promise."