Russian billionaire to set up a new team?

A Russian billionaire has suggested that he could be ready to start up a new F1 team after seeing motorsport become more popular in the country.

Boris Rotenberg was named as Russia's 69th wealthiest man in 2016 by Forbes and already has an interest in motor racing, with his company SMP, a bank, sponsoring Russian drivers such as Sergey Sirotkin and Vitaly Petrov.

He revealed in Sochi at last week's Russian Grand Prix: “The more you try to create in motorsport, the more chance you have to flourish.

“Do we want to create a Formula 1 team? I think the more teams there are, the more opportunities there will be for our drivers.

“Everything is possible. The main thing is to make the effort. First of all are the financial considerations.”

Denis Manturov, the Russian trade and industry minister, told Rio Novosti news agency: “I think a Russian team will appear. It is not far off.”