Confirmed: Jose Maria Lopez Becomes 2010 US F1 Driver

A long-waited announcement finally named Jose Maria Lopez as the team's first driver. "Securing 'Pechito' Lopez for our debut season has been a goal of ours for a long time," Peter Windsor commented saying that Lopez's career was followed since his success in the Renault V6 championship.

In Argentina, team principal Peter Windsor and the new Formula 1 driver held their official press conference in Buenos Aires' Government House. With government sports funding mentioned as being a part of Lopez's ride with the Formula 1team, the Argentina president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was on hand to express support for what she mentioned as "...this exciting new project...". Understandably, Lopez's funding has been marked with some displeasure from individuals questioning the use of government money for motorsport sponsorship. In reality, this is no different than the support received for national Olympic teams or when planners for sport facilities ask for several hundred millions to build stadiums.

Being the last team to officially declare their first of two drivers for 2010, US F1 has yet to indicate who will be the second F1 pilot. "You can nail every step along the way but if you don't have the right guys in the seats, everything else is for naught" were the words of co-team principal Ken Anderson as he strongly believes Jose Maria Lopez was the step in the right direction.

To the credit of the US F1 team, they certainly know how to build suspense as they prepare for their 2010 debut year in Formula 1.

Formula 1 One 2010: The Final Pieces

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP


With under 46 days remaining before the start lights illuminate for the Bahrain Grand Prix, some Formula 1 teams are more prepared for the start of the 2010 season than others. Two veteran F1 teams with full driver lineups for the upcoming season (Ferrari and McLaren), are set to take the wraps off new cars later this week in press unveilings.

BMW Sauber, having named Pedro De La Rosa to join Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi this past week, are due to introduce their competition vehicle next Sunday. As BMW sold their stake of the team back to original owner Peter Sauber, expect the German auto company's name to be stricken from the team's banner as the 2010 cars are planned to run customer Ferrari engines. Sauber's ceremony will take place in Valencia, Spain in coexistence with the Renault F1 team without the lavish displays once the norm for Formula 1 car unveilings. Renault F1 continues to possess one of the few vacancies left for the established Formula 1 teams alongside Robert Kubica, ironically the former driver of the BMW Sauber team. Two more teams, Williams F1 and the high-profile Mercedes GP, are slated to show off their race cars one day after in the same Spanish locale. Red Bull Racing, Force India and Lotus are scheduled to show their team colours later in the month of February.

The US F1 Team, a 2010 Formula 1 start up once questioned for whether they'll even have a car ready for the March Bahrain debut, has publicized the headway they've been making through the past month. This week, one of the biggest announcements for the American Formula 1 team is set, some media outlets jumping to name the US F1 Team's first driver ahead of an impending announcement planned for Monday January 25th. Argentinian Jose Maria Lopez, a driver who has been associated with the US F1 Team since early December, is likely to be tabbed as the freshman F1 organization's first driver hiring in a press conference in his South American homeland. Lopez credentials include two seasons of GP2 and a test role with the Renault F1 team in 2006.


2010 Formula 1 Grid (As of January 25th)

McLaren F1
1. Jenson Button
2. Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes GP
3. Michael Schumacher
4. Nico Rosberg

Red Bull Racing
5. Sebestian Vettal
6. Mark Webber

Ferrari
7. Felipe Massa
8. Fernando Alonso

Williams
9. Rubens Barrichello
10. Nico Hulkenberg

Renault F1
11. Robert Kubica
12. TBD

Force India
13. Adrian Sutil
14. Vitantonio Liuzzi

Toro Rosso
15. Sebestian Buemi
16. Jaime Alguersuari

Lotus
17. Jarno Trulli
18. Heikki Kovalainen

Campos Meta
19. Bruno Senna
20. TRD

Virgin Racing
21. Timo Glock
22. Lucas di Grassi

US F1 Team
23. *Jose Maria Lopez* (Pending January 25th Announcement)
24. TRD

Where is the Exhaust Notes for the US F1 racing team?

On the team's official website, the US F1 Team proclaims "America's Formula One Team... On Track in 2010!". However, judging by the amount of information provided into the media, these words have yet to be verified. As committed as the other 3 new teams to the Formula 1 grid for 2010, the US F1 Team appears to be starting later into the session for planning their upcoming grand prix season. Headed by Speed channel F1 journalist/reporter Peter Windsor and a former NASCAR director Ken Anderson, we're assuming that one of the newest Formula 1 racing teams is being assembled behind closed doors.

The US F1 team remains the only team yet to officially declare even one of their drivers for their maiden voyage in 2010. Initially stating intentions of running American drivers (early wild speculation mentioned Danica Patrick and AJ Allmendinger received team courtship), the US F1 Team principal Peter Windsor has said the team will be looking more outside of their country's home base for the driver lineup. 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve and recently long-time F1 racer Alexander Wurz have been linked to the US F1 operations. Argentinian Jose Maria Lopez was reported as being the team's first addition to the US F1 driver roster in late November, but the former Renault F1 test driver's deal is contingent on securing sponsorship (allegedly totaling 8 million dollars).

Though the driver lineup is unsettled as 2009 comes near an end, this situation is not new to Formula 1. While recently F1 teams have been solidifying plans prior to the new year, previous off-seasons had often left spots vacant until late January. As engines supplier were once a massive news-making decision, the new Cosworth spec engine took one major decision out of the typical Formula 1 team building. In other race car-related news, US F1 Team announced the fabricators for their Formula 1 racing machine will be handled by the Advanced Composites Group. "The team faces a tremendous challenge to design and produce the first American-based Formula One car in more than 40 years, and ACG's composites expertise will be critical for us to meet our goals and expectations in 2010 and beyond." co-team principal Ken Anderson was quoted in a recent release.

With FIA approval, efforts of the US F1 Team remains earnest to their inclusion within the 2010 grand prix field.