Argentine driver Jose Maria Lopez says he is poised to sign with the USF1 Formula One team for its inaugural 2010 season, pending completion of a sponsorship package.
Both driver and team said a deal was imminent for him to become the first signed driver for its debut season.
"We verbally agreed a deal that will be completed next week," Lopez said Saturday on his personal website after a visit to the team's headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.
The 26-year-old Lopez is a former Renault F1 test driver and raced in Europe in Formula 3000 and GP2. He then returned to touring car racing in Argentina, winning the past two TC2000 championships.
"It's a new team, facing this project from scratch, something different to my experience in Renault, where it was a structure with a lot of years of experience in Formula One," Lopez said. "But I have been impressed by the commitment and professionalism with which they are facing this project."
Completion of the deal reportedly hinged on Lopez putting together a sponsorship package variously put at $8 million to $11 million, with most of that now in place.
USF1 team founder Peter Windsor said on the website that "we would like to sign the contract as soon as possible" but warned that "things can change very quickly in motorsport.".
"I would be very happy if he raced with us next year," Windsor said. "He's not just another driver on the list. Jose is more than that. He is a driver we are interested in and we want him to be with us.
"He would be a great driver for our team because he brings knowledge and mileage in an F1 car, apart from the extra motivation because he never had the chance to race and show his skill."
