From GMM

Peter Windsor announced on Friday that the first USF1 car would make its debut on an American circuit.


The Charlotte-based team's sporting director Peter Windsor told the official F1 website that the FIA has granted special dispensation to allow winter testing for USF1 away from the normal European group sessions.

"Because we are a new team and start everything from zero the first time we will run the car will be in the United States at the Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama, the circuit that was nominated by the FIA for us," he said.

Windsor added that the maiden test will take place "at the beginning of February", but was not more specific.

He said the FIA dispensation allows for three tests in the US, before the car is shipped to Spain "to do some testing there before we fly out to Bahrain".

Who will be the drivers?

Windsor has all but confirmed speculation the new American team USF1 will field two rookies.

Amid constant rumours that the American team will not make it to Bahrain at all, it has been reported that experienced drivers earlier linked to USF1 -- including Pedro de la Rosa, Jacques Villeneuve and Alex Wurz -- are no longer in the running.

Instead, the team is expected to sign a deal with the Argentine touring car driver Jose Maria Lopez, who apparently has $8m of sponsorship in tow, while Britain's James Rossiter has also been speculatively mentioned.