The US F1 team has confirmed that it has signed 26-year-old Jose Maria Lopez.

The Argentine is a former member of the Renault Driver Development programme (2004 - 2006) and was test driver for the French team during the 2006 season focusing mainly on shake-downs and starts but also completing a number of simulated race distances.

"Securing 'Pechito' Lopez for our debut season has been a goal of ours for a long time," said Peter Windsor on the team's website. "We've been following his career since he dominated the Renault V6 Championship in 2003 and we're thrilled to have him on board as we return America to Formula One.

"Lopez is a consummate professional and born leader," he continued. "The most revealing thing about his character was how he handled the disappointment of not racing for Renault after three years of testing with them in F1. Instead of moping around and feeling sorry for himself, he returned to Argentina and totally dominated the local scene, winning 38 races and three championships. He became a major star as a result and, in turn, the Argentine nation - a country where F1 is second only to soccer - has got behind him."

"This is a truly memorable day for me, my family and the people of Argentina," said Lopez, who is rumoured to have paid around £5m for the drive. "I have been working towards this day for much of my life and I can't thank Peter and Ken [Anderson] enough for this opportunity. Of course a new F1 team faces many challenges but our goal is to improve with each race and build a foundation that will eventually see this team competing for wins and championships."

"So many things go into starting a Formula One team from scratch," added Team CEO Ken Anderson. "You can nail every step along the way but if you don't have the right guys in the seats, everything else is for naught. With Jose Maria Lopez we have further positioned ourselves for a successful 2010 debut campaign."

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