The USF1 official pilot, the Argentinean, José María “pechito” López yesterday flew from the Córdoba Airport to Charlotte, Carolina del Norte, to visit for second time the USF1 headquarters.

As has been reported from Argentina, José María López will stay a few hours with the team and later will fly to Austria.  This is the pilot’s second visit to the United States of America, even though it will be the first as member of the US ‘scuderia,’ and will allow a dialogue with his team-mates, as well as to learn the details regarding the construction and assembly of the Type1.

“Pechito” will hang out with the new team for several hours this Saturday and later, in the evening, travel again, this time to Austria to continue his physical training in Erwin Gollner High Performance Center.

The work plan will begin February 7^th to the 14^th, returning to the USA on Monday 15^th and then, wait until the works on his single-seater end, so to tackle the first test, yet to be confirmed.

“Days are passing by and the possibility to be behind the steering wheel of the F-1 car is getting closer.  I’m flying to Charlotte to visit the people from the team, talk with them, and see how advanced is the construction of the car.  Later, I’ll fly to Austria, to continue my physical training beside;” the pilot from Cordoba, Argentina stated.

“These days in Cordoba with my family and friends were great for me.  To be a bit more relaxed and knowing the everything was closed.”  “2009 was very intense.  I almost didn’t have any time to rest, but now I’m 100 percent available for the team to start with the work,” he expressed.

Adrian Campos, Campos Meta Director has admitted to having problems that have affected the team and that they should be solved before Monday.

The permanent rumors of these last days have had a negative effect.  Speculation on different media about financial problems and the alleged inability to pay the Italian manufacturer, Dallara (for the single-seater production).  Nevertheless, Minardi’s ex-pilot is confident that the team can still be in Bahrain starting grid.

“We’re trying to solve everything for Monday, but people are saying a lot of crap,” he said to BBC Sport.  “Some are true, but some aren’t.  We’re working very hard to be in Bahrain.“

The most probable rescuer of the team is the entrepreneur, Tony Teixeira, who backed-up the now extinct A1GP Series.  Nonetheless, Campos wouldn’t confirm the rescue plan and who in the partial sale of the team.

“The problem is we have confidentiality clauses for all the actions we’re taking,” he explained.

However, the Spanish Director recognized that the payments to the Dallara have not always been on time.  “Sometimes we delay a part of the payments to Dallara and, at times, we don’t have the money available.  We’re trying to solve the problem,” he declared.

Adrian Campos also denied that Dallara has gotten tired of waiting for the money and consequently, sold the 2010 car to Stefan GP.

“No, they (Dallara) cannot do that.  We have an agreement with them,” informed Adrían Campos

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.

‘Pechito’ Lopez has been confirmed as official driver USF1 team for the 2010 season. After several days of meetings between the sponsors of the pilot and the U.S. team, an agreement was reached to be unveiled at an event this coming Monday.

“Everything is agreed and on Monday will be the official announcement” the spokesman said the pilot. Delaying the decision had to do with the guarantees of the eight million that Lopez needed to secure a seat.

According to Argentine press releases, some of the money will come from a group of companies working with Lee since the beginning of negotiations and the endorsement of the Argentine government made late on Friday.

Thus, Lopez will be the first Argentine driver to participate in Formula 1 since Gaston Mazzacane ran in the San Marino Grand Prix 2001. The skill of ‘Pechito’ Lopez is tested by the Renault team where he played as a tester after passing through the GP2 Series for the DAMS team and SuperNova. The U.S. team still has confirmed its second seat.