LONDON (AP) — Russia has a Formula One team again after Marussia Virgin Racing confirmed it would be switching from a British license.
Virgin debuted last season with a heavy focus on its British background, but the change comes after Russian sports car manufacturer Marussia Motors bought a significant stake in the team.
The nationality change was announced Monday as drivers Timo Glock and Jerome d’Ambrosio unveiled the MVR-02 car that will race in 2011.
Marussia, led by former racer Nikolay Fomenko, has been a sponsor of Virgin Racing since the team formed in 2009. Virgin finished at the bottom of the 2010 constructors’ championship.
Midland was the only previous Russian F1 team and competed in 2006. Lotus Renault’s Vitaly Petrov is the only Russian F1 driver.
