Russian Investors to Buy Into Virgin F1?

Russia is about to get even more involved in Formula One, if we are to trust the latest reports that appeared in Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. According to the German publication, it seems that Russian investors are planning to buy into the Virgin-Cosworth F1 team from as early as next season, either partially or in majority.

For those of you who don't know, the British team, backed by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, is already enjoying a financial partnership with Marussia, the first Russian supercar maker.

To go even further with the speculation, Marussia is headed by none other than racing driver and current Top Gear Russia presenter Nikolai Fomenko (also a comedian, actor and musician in his spare time). A few weeks ago, it was the same Fomenko that hinted Marussia could step into F1 as a constructor.

“The F1 project is a leading edge for the marketing of a supercar,” Fomenko was quoted as saying in recent weeks.

With the International Automobile Federation (FIA) unlikely to open up the F1 entry process anytime soon, the only chance Marussia would get to enjoy a piece of the action would be to purchase an existing F1 team, either entirely or with the help of partners/sponsors.

Russia recently secured the hosting of an F1 Grand Prix in the Olympic city of Sochi starting 2014, while the nation is already represented in the Great Circus by Vitaly Petrov. A Russian manufacturer would really boost F1's prospects on the Russian market and, with the help of Bernie Ecclestone, chief executive of F1, anything is doable as long as there's profit involved.