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It's been a while since there was.an American fighting for the Fl world championship. EDD STRAW asks whether that could soon change 40 ..toIport.cOIII November 15 2012 ineteen years ago, Michael "A quick American Andretti stepped off the podium after finishing third driver would have huge N in the Italian Grand Prix appeal not just to Red and walked away from Formula 1. Since then, no American has scored a Bullbut any Fl team" point, with only Scott Speed's ill-fated Christian Homer 28-race stint for Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006-2007 offering any interest to identify a talent and take him all the fans from the US of A. way to F1, points out, anyone with Before Andretti, Eddie Cheever flew the talent to succeed would be fought the flag with some strong performances over by the teams. during his long grand prix career. But '~ American driver, a quick you have to go all the way back to 1978, American, would have huge appeal when Andretti's father Mario won the not just to Red Bull but to any of the world championship, for the last teams:' says Homer. "Hopefully, in a Three names stand out. One is occasion when the star-spangled couple of years, there will be some Alexander Rossi, who became the banner was heard anywhere near a exciting talent from the United States. first American driver in almost four grand prix podium. And whoever it is needs to come years to participate in an Pi session That's a remarkable drought through the proven, tested system in for Caterham in Spain but who had considering the United States has the European feeder categories." a disappointing season in Formula a proud history in Formula 1, with Horner has a valid point. For while Renault 3.5 this year. The other is GP3 Andretti Sr the last in a line of five many of the top drivers in the United racewinner Conor Daly, the son of drivers hailing from the country to States probably had the fundamental naturalised American Derek Daly, a win races (not counting 1950-1960 ability to make it in F1, their path never former Williams and Tyrrell F1 driver. Indy 500 qualifiers). As Christian led to the European mainstream. And, He has dabbled in Pi machinery with Horner, team principal of Red Bull, looking at those Americans who are on Force India, although has not made the whose parent company ran a driver that well-trodden route, it seems there same impact as GP3 rivals Mitch Evans search programme specifically to are few genuinely on the F1 radar. and Antonio Felix da Costa. The final member of the trio is Puerto Rican Felix Serralles, who has shown great promise in British Formula 3 this year, Daly is targeting FRenault 3.5 next year, while Rossi is likely to remain in the Caterham fold with its GP2 team. He also tested for the Fr team in Abu Dhabi last week. A lot depends on how he gets on in GP2 next year after a difficult year in which he proved unable to capitalise on the work done in his rookie season in FRenault 3-5 in 2011, when he won two races and finished third overalL It will take a good GPz campaign to II>- TEAMUSASCIIOLARSHIP As one alumnus of the Team USA bring them over to Europe more because Scholarship pointed out, it's ironic that it's an opportunity to get them out of their the man who has done more for the hopes comfort zone and find out what racing in of American drivers making it in European Europe is about, rather than Fl. The goal single-seaters over the years is a Brit. The for most of these guys is to get to the top man in question is long-time AUTOSPORT level of American racing. In some ways, the contributor Jeremy Shaw, who has run the racing is so much more intense over here programme for two decades. and gives them a different perspective. While none of the scholars made it to "Most drivers in the States don't Fl, the closest being Bryan Herta, who consider Fl as being even vaguely tested a Minardi at Donington Park in attainable. The only exception to that in 2002, the scheme has had an impressive recent years from among the scholarship strike rate of picking up very promising guys is Conor Daly, who has got his sights drivers early on. As well as Herta, 1996 firmly on Fl." Champ Car Champion Jimmy Vasser, 2004 Shaw believes that with relatively few Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice, BMW Americans aspiring to Fl, the financial DTM racer Joey Hand, impressive IndyCar hurdles that must be overcome and the rookie Josef Newgarden and near-Indy need to race in Europe full-time to have winner JR Hildebrand all passed through a chance playa big part in the lack of the programme, to name but a few. drivers from the US. "The objective originally was aimed at With such a small pool of aspirants, it getting somebody towards Fl with the early should be no surprise that American Fl guys like Herta," says Shaw. "But now, I prospects are so rare. November 15 2012 ............ c. 41 11 IN AMERICA TALENT SCOUTING AMERiCA'Sn WINNERS Setting aside the anomalous Indianapolis 500s of 1950-1960, which counted for points but were never truly regarded as part of the championship, five American drivers have won grands prix. Dan Gumey His results don't do justice to his ability as he never had the machinery to win consistently in Fl. His best years came with Brabham from 1963-1965 when still an ....prove that he's worthy of serious want something they can. get behind emerging team, although he's consideration as an Fl driver. But Rossi, and support. Having an American best known for his win at Spa who puts his Ft interest down to the driver on the grid would be great, but a in 1967 in his own Eagle. influence of his father, recognises the driver in isth or 18th, or even roth or need for success in Europe to open izth, can only go so far. You need an doors in grand prix racing. Even before American putting the stars and stripes he started competing in that arena he on the top step. That's definitely a goal raced in the Formula BMW Americas of mine. I don't just want to get to Fr, AmerICa's first cbampion is championship that was very much I want to win races?' , arguably better known fur of the European school. Despite being one step away from Fl. 'his sportscar explOits. than "Fa is a very, very ego-driven sport Rossi stillhas a long way to go to prove for his F1 prowess. He's held and they want to see you deliver on that he has the potential to do that. It's a in higher esteem by those the European stage, not the American similar story for both Serralles and Daly, Who raced'llgafnst him than stage:' says zr-year-old Rossi "Winning although raising money for the next step 'by historY. perhaps beCause everything in America isn't enough. We could prove difficult for Daly. As with he had little success after realised that early in my career and that's so many promising drivers, it takes a lot joining the AJS team in 1963. why I came over in 2009. But I don't even to get the chance to prove yourself ~:;;::-:;;:-::-:::=3;i.._.~ think the lack of American drivers has worthy of a shot at the big time. much to do with the feeder series there, it's because there isn't that interest in "Fl is a very, very ego- Richie Ginther Fl. Americans aren't brought up driven sport and they Tlie Californian had stints watching Pi, they watch IndyCar and with Ferrari and BRM before NASCAR, so it's difficult to develop want to see you deliver switching to Honda and an ambition for it. Having the US on the European stage" claiming its first F1 victory Grand Prix is a massive boost. in Mexico in 1965. While '~ericans are very patriotic and Alexander Rossi not in the same class as his contemporary Jim Clark, on So, as to where the next Mario his day he was capable of Andretti is coming from, that's an running at the front in GPs. impossible question to answer. It all depends on how many American drivers are encouraged to take to the European path to Pi, for as their Peter ReV$Oll numbers grow it's highly likely that Flirted with F1 in 1964 and a driver with world-championship- ~ad a one-off fur Tyrrell lit winning potential would emerge. But the end of 71,but his big fl for that to happen, interest in Fr in the break came with McLaren in US needs to increase, so that the best 'nafter success In IndyCars talents don't all aspire to NASCAR anll Can-Am. Won the 1973 or IndyCar by default. And for that British and Canadian'GPs but to happen, a successful American died tn a testing acddent for driver needs to emerge. , Shadow atKyalami In 1974. A classic chicken-and-egg situation, then, and one that doesn't look like being resolved any time soon ... II» November 15 2012 _D.,..-t.com 43 ~.