Dani Clos insists he is delighted with his new role as HRT tester, despite some seeing him as little more than a ‘pay driver’.
A reporter for Spain’s Diario AS newspaper admitted to the 23-year-old from Barcelona that when he read the news about his Clos’ new role, he surmised that the driver must have some lucrative backers.

“That’s definitely not why I’m here,” Clos insisted.

He admitted however that he is also “looking at some options” to split his time between HRT and another race series this season.

“There are offers but I’m happy with HRT. Some people would give their right arm to be here.”

Clos conceded, however, that if he had lots more money to spend on formula one, he might have been appointed as Pedro de la Rosa’s teammate in the place of Narain Karthikeyan.

“It’s obvious that if you contribute more then you have more options,” he said, “but for me this is my place now, and where I have to be right now.”

He revealed that the role will include running on Friday mornings at grands prix, rather than the symbolic role played by many ‘test drivers’ nowadays.

“Yes, yes, I’ll do Fridays,” said Clos. “I will not be one of those who are there just to be there.”

He also denied that his new deal could fall apart the way countryman Andy Soucek’s did at Virgin in 2010, when the Spaniard was promised track time that never materialised.

“I have no fear in that regard,” insisted Clos. “I trust the team.”

Norbert Haug has confirmed that Mercedes will not appoint a formal replacement for its departed F1 reserve driver Nick Heidfeld.

With just seven races to go in 2010, the Brackley based team agreed to release German Heidfeld so that he can become Pirelli’s permanent tyre development tester.

Departed Virgin tester Andy Soucek was mentioned as a possible replacement, but reports also indicated that Mercedes might decide not to fill the vacant role for the last third of the season.

“We do not intend to fill this role for the remaining races in 2010,” confirmed Mercedes’ Haug in an interview with SID news agency.

He also tipped 33-year-old Heidfeld to use his new Pirelli role as a springboard back onto the formula one grid.

“Absolutely. Don’t forget that Nick has already beaten the current championship leader Mark Webber as a teammate (at Williams in 2005),” said Haug.

Andy Soucek has dissolved its contract with Virgin actually test driver. The reigning Formula 2 champion was joined in the hope of the new British team that he would deny some bets on Fridays. But this never materialized. In contrast to the replacement drivers at teams like Lotus, Force India or HRT was the Austro-Spaniard no opportunity to gather as part of racing weekends of experience in Formula 1 car.

“Added Andy and the team by mutual consent agreed to resolve the contractual relationship, so that Andy can concentrate on his racing activities in other series,” says a statement by Soucek management. However, the career of the 25-year-old formula by the formula 1 test commitment has been thwarted. Last we saw him again in the Super League.
“Andy was in the season attended by ten races as a substitute driver in case of injury or illness of a master pilot. He has always taken part in technical meetings with engineers,” says the opinion, which sounds in this passage as a reference. Soucek had allegedly stopped the payments due to Virgin, as you originally promised him two test missions obviously could not call into view.

“The current test regulations in Formula 1 has the consequence that for test pilots are no bets in your car. Andy is very ambitious and requires kilometers of racing,” says Soucek of-management. “Therefore, he decided to focus on its opportunities in other categories. Andy has enjoyed his time at Virgin, the two sides separate for good, and wish each other the best for the future.”
The termination of contracts is not just for Soucek a setback on his way to the longed-for Formula 1 cockpit. The formula has had to take two so indirectly, a bitter defeat. Jonathan Palmer had wanted to establish the series as a unique climbing towards the summit motorsports. This does not seem to be succeeding. Not even a test Soucek fastest time in the Young Driver Days in December, Williams paid off eventually.

With Virgin now remains the only Luiz Razia replacement pilot. The young GP2 driver has seen come and go now, and two colleagues. At the beginning of the season, the UK team Álvaro Parente, as a first test and reserve driver in front. But the contract with the Portuguese ended just days later, so that the space for Soucek was free. Soucek manager Julien Jacob, among others already discussed Ayrton Senna, should now find new opportunities for the Austro-Spaniard.

Andy Soucek is set to terminate his contract as Virgin’s third and reserve driver.
The 25-year-old Spaniard and reigning F2 champion has been disappointed that his role with the new British team has not involved any driving so far.

It is understood, however, that his contract does stipulate some test-driving duties.

The Spanish sports newspaper AS said Virgin has therefore breached the agreement, moving Soucek to leave the struggling team with immediate effect.

The Madrid-born driver is reportedly “finalising some details” before making his decision public.

AS estimated that Soucek has made several sponsor payments to Virgin amounting to about EUR 1 million, but has “decided not to pay any more due to the lack of opportunity to drive the VR01″.

The newspaper said Soucek is already in talks with another team about becoming third driver elsewhere, and hopes to reach a deal before the Belgian grand prix in just over two weeks.

“Another of his options is to join a top GP2 team,” continued the report.

Jun.10 (GMM)  Virgin still has no plans to give its test and reserve driver Andy Soucek some laps on the Friday of a grand prix weekend.

We reported in April that the reigning F2 champion is contracted to do some driving in 2010, but he said the new British team “currently have other problems than to be thinking about the third driver”.

The 24-year-old Austrian-Spaniard now tells laola1.at: “I have a contract that states I will test at the end of the year for two days.”

As for the possibility of a Friday practice session outing, Soucek adds: “I believe it would be interesting for the team to have a third opinion about the car, but at the moment they do not see it the same way.

“Every week I’m putting pressure on the CEO by sending emails,” he said.

With Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi in the race cockpits this year, Soucek is not sure he sees a future at Virgin for 2011.

“It’s hard to say,” he answered.  “I have a one year contract with a clause for renewal.  There is a chance of a (race) cockpit, but there are other options,” he added.

Asked if he has a plan-B for 2011, Soucek answered: “It’s simple — I want to make money with my racing.  After almost 14 years I think it’s time!

“Indycar is definitely a possibility and I would go to another series if I would get paid for it.  Already this year I am making money with my job.”

Apr.21 (GMM)  It took them nearly 50 hours, but F1 drivers including Jaime Alguersuari and Mark Webber are now back home.

Toro Rosso’s Alguersuari, who travelled with Virgin test driver and countryman Andy Soucek, lost count of how many times they landed at airports to change plane and destination.

“We feel like we’ve been around the whole world,” the Spaniard told the EFE news agency.  Mark Webber’s return to his UK home took him 44 hours.

The F1 cars could soon begin their journey back to Europe, with McLaren confirming they are “likely to be freighted to Bilbao within the next 24 hours”.

Many of the sport’s personnel are not so lucky.  Williams’ PR Claire Williams, the daughter of Sir Frank Williams, has been told by British Airways in Hong Kong that there may be no flights until May 5.

“They have to be kidding,” she wrote on her Twitter.

The F1 ex-pilot, Christian Klien and the F2 champion, the Spaniard Andy Soucek are still battling for the two remaining positions of the Formula One grid for this season.
USF1 and Campos have not confirmed yet their second pilots, and both Klien and Soucek assure to be in negotiations with the teams before the opening of the season in Bahrain, on March 14th.
“The possibilities are still good,” declared Klien. “Until there is an actual possibility I’m going fight to participate in the F1. Another year as reserve driver would not be a catastrophe.”
On the other hand, Soucek, has announced that his negotiations with the Spanish team are in an “advanced” stage, while his conversations with USF1 are more casual.
“Right now it is not signed, but during the negotiations new options have come up,” said Soucek and added that he does not discard participating as test driver, but naturally, without paying seat.
They are both competing with champion Adrián Vallés, who many consider one of the favorites for the USF1 seat. The Spaniard was already very near in 2007; maybe this is his chance.
“I’m sorry. I cannot talk. I only hope things don’t go wrong.“ declared Valles, last week.
We are still waiting for Campos to comment on the solution of his financial problems and centers in the vacant seat, as well as submit his plans as the beginning of the season is approaching

In spite of learning that the opportunity for participating in the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship with Renault has vanished with the confirmation of the Russian, Vitaly Petrov, the Spanish pilot, Andy Soucek is far from giving up. “For the time being, there’s nothing closed.  Negotiations have taken place and we have opened new options.  The two vacant seats are USF1 and Campos, but there are other alternatives that are also tempting me quite a lot, and all in Formula 1″, said Soucek.

“To be the first-team pilot is something that attracts all pilots –regardless of the team-, because what we want is to be in the grid.  But to be a reserve pilot is more important than being a test driver, because if something happens to the first-team pilot you take his place.  So this is something I have in mind if it would be a large team.  It would help me a lot and give me time to prepare for 2011, with one more year of experience in Formula 1.  It’s a role one should not rule out;” declared the Spanish pilot.

“I think I deserve the position of third pilot and I don’t think I have to pay for it.  That’s what interests me.  As a first-team pilot you have to have a big sponsor behind you, but as third pilot you can have a small sponsor or not even that, because they’re counting on you since you’re going to contribute with something to the team,” assured the Spaniard-Austrian pilot.

The thing being that more doors are closing every time, and more so with the possible arrival of Adrián Vallés to the USF1 team, which has a vacant seat.  Soucek said: “I don’t know if he has signed; I understand he hasn’t.  But, Adrián has always been ahead; he has raced very fast in all the championships he has participated.  He has been my team-mate and cannot say anything bad about him.  He’s very fast and he deserves it.  We haven’t talked and I cannot give more information.”

This way, it is confirmed that there is contact with USF1.  “Yes, there have been conversations, but this is like everything else: at the end, everybody talks with everybody else, and much more in a moment like this, when the teams are desperate for a pilot, as well as the pilots for a team.”

“I’m not going to allow desperation to get to me, and if I sign I want it to be something that helps me in my sport career; not that jeopardizes it.  So, whatever step I take is going to be well thought out, and I’ll see that the team with whom I sign gives me a guarantee of playing a decent role within the Formula One,” the pilot pointed out.

And what about Campos Meta 1 which has only confirmed the Brazilian, Bruno Senna? “For a month I’ve been in very advanced negotiations with Campos.  As has been announced in all media, Adrian is going through a very difficult moment.  I thing the same indecision and uncertainty we all have is what he’s experimenting, too,” Soucek reflected.

Based on Adrián Campos statements, today we have confirmed, that before next Monday, he will take care of the financial problems.  “Right now, he doesn’t know what’s going to happen.  He’s wishing that his team succeeds.  We all do.  It’s a Spanish team and it would be very important for motoring, but unfortunately there’s an economic problem with all the new teams, and besides, maybe the media is taking it out on him a bit too much.  Let’s hope he can solve the problem and then, it will be known who his second pilot will be,” he explained.

A few days ago, we mentioned the pilots we considered as options to cover the vacant places in the ‘scuderias’.  Now, in the case of Renault, there is a free seat and according to rumors in the media (MARCA), the Hispanic/Austrian, Andy Soucek is closer than we assumed.

We had published that this option was remote, but we must correct ourselves since sources from the Madrid newspaper have declared that his offer was quite well received by Renault.

If for us, the Russian Vitaly Petrov’s offer, together with his career, was the most viable, we might well have to “swallow our words” if the Spaniard (even though he has double nationality, he runs with the Spanish flag), Soucek gets this coveted seat.

Who is he

Andy Christian Soucek was born on June 14, 1985 in Madrid, Spain.  Because his father is from Austria, he has double nationality, however Soucek runs with the Spanish flag because he says “he feels Spanish.”  In 1997, he began his professional career as karting pilot.  That year, he participated in the Spanish Karting Championship and in the Madrid Kart Championship, with 5^th and 3rd places, respectively.  He continued in different karting categories until 2001, year in which he entered the Portuguese Ford Formula, finishing 8th.  That year he was champion of the Margutti of Totoya Kart trophy.

From 2002 to 2005 he took part in the Spanish Formula 3, first in the Racing Engineering Spanish team with 8^th position in the championship, while the following year he arrives 4^th racing for the EV team.  In 2004, he continues with the EV team, but only for two races because he was acquired for the rest of the season by the GTA team ‘scuderia’, arriving fourth again at the end of the season.  A year later, he becomes the Spanish Formula 3 champion with the Llusia Racing team.

The 2010 F1 Championship is historic for Spaniards.  This season, not only will the beginning of the official calendar will take place in the Comunitat Valenciana ‘Ricardo Tormo‘ circuit, but it will also be an all-time milestone, because, for the first time, three Spanish drivers have a seat in the Formula One World Championship grid as official pilots.

Alonso, De la Rosa and Alguersuari

Fernando Alonso is making his debut as Ferrari’s official pilot in these tests, while Pedro Martínez de la Rosa occupies a place in the grid for fourth time in his career by the hand of Sauber, after seven years as test pilot in McLaren.  The threesome is completed with the young pilot from Toro Rosso, Jaime Alguersuari who has just been confirmed.

But we cannot forget rumors that point to a fourth Spanish pilot who could make his debut in the same season in the Renault team, Andy Soucek.

So, for first time in the history of modern F1, there will be three Spanish pilots confirmed in the Formula One World Championship grid during the 2010 season

Three teams, three places. Can you imagine an advertisement poster like this aiming to get money?  This is Formula One’s scenario a week prior to the beginning of the first tests of the season.  Three teams: Renault, USF1 and Campos Meta have not yet confirmed a place for their single-seated cars.

Subsequent to Pechito López’ signing in and Jaime Alguersuari’s confirmation as Torro Rosso’s second pilot, there are three vacant seats.  The thing is that the three ‘Scuderias’ (Renault, Campos Meta and USF1) are selling their seats through sponsors that each pilot might attract.

SCUDERIAS AND CANDIDATES

Renault

Things seem to indicate the beginning of a 15 million euro agreement of the Russian, Vitaly Petrov with Renault, even though it has not been confirmed, yet.

According to Autoblid, 800.000 Euros for each Grand Prix he would fight for would be the money put forward by his sponsors, coming primarily from the Moscow bank, Sberbank and from Gazpron.  If this is confirmed, the German Nick Heidfeld’s option who stated to be in the best disposition to take a wheel this year, would be canceled.

Campos Meta

Robert Doornbos -who ran in the IndyCar last year, and previously with Minardi and Red Bull-, has been requested by Campos Meta and USF1 ‘Scuderias’ more than 3.5 million Euros for occupying one of the seats.

Hence, the pilot declared that “… there were talks with USF1 and Campos Meta, but they asked for 5 million dollars, just in sponsors,” declared a Doornbos who seems to indicate he will not move from the IndyCar this 2010.

That being so, the Spanish ‘Scuderia’ has two options: the Venezuelan

Pastor Maldonado, who ran the GP2 last year with ART Grand Prix and Andy Soucek who seems a more remote possibility.

USF1

The US team will give a press conference today, Monday to confirm the signing up of ‘Pechito’ López, their boss, Peter Windson.  However, who is going to occupy the other seat of the ‘Scuderia’ is yet unknown.

The US media speculate with two possibilities: the US, Jonathan Summerton and the Canadian, Jacques Villeneuve, who is determined to return to Formula One.