Carlin to run Midland F1 team

Midland F1 is set to use Carlin's base in Aldershot and make use of the Briton's ultra-close relationship with Dallara, which has already netted Carlin Motorsport the British F3 titles in 2001 and 2003.

Speaking exclusively to Autosport, Carlin said: "I'm very excited about it. For anyone who is ambitious in motorsport the pinnacle is F1, and it's very rare to get the opportunity to go in at the beginning and do it the way you want to do it. I was never going to land a senior management role at Williams or McLaren.

"I'm particularly excited because F1 is at a crossroads from the cost point of view, although I'm under no illusions how difficult it will be."

Carlin plans to continue his team's efforts in the World Series by Renault, British Formula 3 and Formula BMW teams in 2005 alongside his work on the F1 team - which is scheduled to begin testing of its car next season.

Carlin's involvement in the project will almost certainly be a massive boost to BAR test driver Anthony Davidson's hopes of landing a full-time F1 drive - because Davidson impressed the team by finishing runner-up in the 2001 British F3 title fight with Carlin Motorsport, behind Takuma Sato.

"My personal ambition and dream is to have drivers like that with us again," he said. "But we've got to earn our stripes to be able to work with drivers of that calibre."