Jose Maria Lopez will be confirmed as a US F1 driver within the coming week, according to media reports in Argentina, having secured the sponsorship necessary to take the seat. As Manipe F1 reported last month, Lopez was seeking $11m in the sponsorship, and with the deals in place Corsa is reporting he could be confirmed at the team on Christmas Eve, Thursday, or even earlier.

Speaking to Corsa, an unnamed relative of Lopez said an announcement was imminent. “The budget is there. Now we have to wait just a few days to make the announcement. They are as eager as us to confirm everything,” he said.

Having spent the last three years out of single-seater racing, a special two-day F3 test has been organised for the 26-year-old in Termas de Río Hondo, on December 28th and 29th. “The original idea was to bring a GP2 Series or [Renault] World Series car, but it was impossible. We were able to reach an agreement with the Cesario Formula of South American F3 to give us one of their cars,” López said.

USF1 is the only team to date not to have confirmed at least one driver in their 2010 line-up. If confirmed, he will become the first Argentine F1 driver since Gaston Mazzacane left Prost early in 2001.