A Russian Formula-1 driver may sport the Lada logo on his racer.
Today Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with president of Renault Carlos Gohsn, and although their main topic will be AvtoVAZ, RBC sources believe that the two men may also discuss the first ever Russian Formula-1 driver, Vitaly Petrov, who is currently racing for the 2010 Renault team without sponsorship. His managers say that they have approached nearly 500 Russian companies, but, having met with no response, they turned to the prime minister for help. Nobody is disclosing complete information, but it looks as if Renault cars will be bearing the Lada logo.
The president of Renault, Carlos Gohsn, is launching a new production line at the Avtoframos Moscow plant that will produce the Sandero hatchback. Shortly after the ceremony, he is planning to meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to discuss some of AvtoVAZ's numerous problems. According to the Prime Minister's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, this is a working visit to discuss the further development of the Russian auto giant. This month, the plant is to submit its development strategy through 2020 to its shareholders and a government commission.
A source familiar with the preparation for the meeting told RBC Daily that the two men will also discuss Vitaly Petrov's participation in Formula 1. He became the second driver in Renault's team and the partner of Robert Kubica of Poland in the 2010 season. The contract with Vitaly Petrov was signed a month ago, but his career in the royal races might never have taken off due to a lack of sponsors. A single team's budget can run into the billions of dollars. In the case of Renault, it is over 200 million euros, said the driver's manager, Oksana Kosachenko. Any driver who joins the team must bring sponsorship money with him. "Usually a driver is backed by national banks, telecom companies, and others," she says. "But we have approached 473 companies, I have personally met with all of them, and none of them showed any interest."
Because no sponsorship money had been raised by the time the driver signed his contract, his father, a co-owner of the Vyborg Shipbuilding Plant, had to borrow 7.5 million euros at 9% per annum from a St Petersburg bank, splitting the cost with the Renault team, says Oksana Kosachenko. But the president of the Russian Automobile Federation, Viktor Kiryanov, and the head of the State Duma Committee for Physical Culture and Sports Anton Sikharulidze, who backed Petrov, sent a letter to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin asking for help. "As soon as the Prime Minister read the letter we started receiving calls from sponsors," Mrs Kosachenko said. The future sponsors of the Russian driver will be announced within days. They may or may not prove to be reliable. A source told RBC Daily that the question of placing a Lada logo on Petrov's car would be raised during the meeting with Carlos Gohsn and Vladimir Putin. The Prime Minister's press secretary did not confirm this information, but neither did he deny it. "Lada is one of the few Russian brands known abroad. Having the Russian driver Vitaly Petrov represent our brand in the world's most prestigious car race is very important for Russia and for AvtoVAZ," the plant's press service said, but added that the company has no money to spare on supporting the Russian driver.
Yevgeniya Sergiyenko