30/08/2012
NEWS STORY
Vitaly Petrov's manager has admitted that the Russian's F1 career is in doubt after losing the financial support of the Russian government.
Following a difficult debut season in 2010, when he partnered Robert Kubica at Renault, he was retained by the Enstone based outfit for 2011 a season in which the team struggled despite podium finishes in the opening two races.
Dropped in favour of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, Petrov eventually found a berth for 2012 at Caterham, the Anglo-Malaysian outfit only too happy to take his roubles.
However, as the Leafield based team struggles to make contact with the lower reaches of the midfield, Petrov has largely found himself out-classed by his Finnish teammate, Heikki Kovalainen.
His manager, Oksana Kosachenko, having revealed that Petrov has lost his government funding, bemoans the lack of financial support from his country.
"There's never been interest from sponsors," she told R-Sport. "I've always said that it's impossible to find sponsors in Russia for a project like Formula One. When there was support at the top level of government, this project worked commendably."
Bankrolled by the chemical company Sibur, Kosachenko is in no doubt that the financial crisis could cut short Petrov's career. "I don't rule out a scenario in which we have to end this Russian driver's competition in Formula One," she said.