Thursday March 21st, 2002

Engine supplier Asiatech are keen to have their own team in Formula One - and could fulfil their long-term intentions as early as next season.

Asiatech currently supply power units to Minardi after working with Arrows last year, but boss John Gano has revealed that they intend to become a full team within two years.

Gano admitted that Asiatech contemplated entering as a team this year, but has set his sights on being in Formula One by 2004.

"It has always been our plan," Gano told Autosport magazine. "We even took a look at entering this season. I would say now that it could be next season or the season after that."

It is thought that Asiatech's deal with Minardi allows them to have full access to chassis and telemetry data. Asiatech's technical director Enrique Scalabroni has been in charge of creating the team's package.

"Our ambition is to have an integrated team co-designing the engine and chassis, with Enrique," Gano added.

Published at 09:36:48 GMT