Minardi to Test Russian Driver Zlobin

Russia will move closer to having a Formula One driver for the first time when Sergei Zlobin tests for Minardi in Italy on Tuesday.

Team owner Paul Stoddart said at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday that the test at Ferrari's Fiorano track was part of a sponsorship deal agreed with Russian gas giant Gazprom.

If all goes well, then Zlobin could ultimately follow the same route into the sport as Malaysian Alex Yoong, who became his country's first Grand Prix driver with Minardi last September.

Russia has never had a Formula One racer but Minardi hope that the driver, currently competing in European F3000, shows promise.

"I suspect we'll be running him quite a bit next year," said Stoddart. "We will definitely be running him again in the November-December period and then if he's good enough we'll try to work with him.

"I'm quite prepared to put a lot of effort into him. If Gian Carlo (Minardi) sees a bit of potential, we will do everything to give that kid every chance of making it all the way, if we can do it," he said.

"Whether he is going to be just doing secondary testing or proper testing depends on where his ability is and what we have to do to lift him up to that."

Future Assured

Part of the Gazprom partnership, announced last month, is for Minardi to try to bring a Russian into the sport. Stoddart said the deal, coupled with the continuing support of Malaysian backers, had assured Minardi's continuing presence in Formula One at a time when others were in danger of folding.

"We are going to be here next year no matter what happens now," he said. "I certainly couldn't have said that two months ago."

Minardi warned earlier in the season, when they were fighting to secure television money originally destined for the failed Prost team, that they might not be able to see out the Championship. Stoddart said only last month that he still could not guarantee the team's presence next year.

But speaking after a race where rivals Arrows were conspicuously absent for the third time in four races as they try to negotiate their survival, Stoddart depicted a far brighter future.

"It's funny what a difference a couple of months can make," he said. "Now Gazprom, a few other deals and suddenly we are back on our feet again. I see the Gazprom sponsorship as representing our engine budget for next year," he said of a deal announced last month with the Russian gas company.

Minardi currently have free engines in a one-year deal with the secretive Asiatech company but have said they are interested in switching to Ford-owned Cosworth, who supplied Arrows this season. The Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur provides the title sponsorship and Stoddart said the backing was set to continue despite Yoong stepping down as a driver at the end of the season.

"I'm off to Malaysia next Saturday, I've got a fantastic relationship with the Malaysians, they are friends as well as partners and sponsors and that's not going to diminish one bit," he said.