Mar.13 (GMM) Jose Ramon Carabante has denied persistent rumours that a German investment group, perhaps with links to Volkswagen, is involved with the new Spanish team HRT.

"Meta 1 failed to get even one sponsor and sold its shares to me. I have had no contact with a German investment group.

"Now we are beginning to get money from Brazil, India and Murcia, which (Murcia) gives us 3 million (EUR) annually over the next three years," the team owner is quoted as saying by the El Pais newspaper.

Indeed, it was announced in Sao Paulo - with Bruno Senna's mother Viviane Senna in attendance - that the Brazilian bank Banco Cruzeiro do Sul is sponsoring the driver and team in 2010.

After the Campos-Meta 1 takeover, the team - renamed Hispania Racing Team (HRT) - failed to do any testing and is last on the Bahrain grid.

"The first four races will be our tests," said Carabante. "Where we will really begin is in Spain," he added, referring to May's Barcelona event.

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