The Cypher Group, which is apparently hoping to secure an entry in the 2011 world championship, has announced that if successful in its bid will call on the services of Jonathan Summerton.

The American outfit, which claims it announced its interest in securing a 2011 entry in April, this morning issued the following statement:

"To the delight of American and International motorsport fans Cypher Group and American driver Jonathan Summerton announced on Monday that they will be potentially collaborating together during the next few Formula One seasons.

"We have officially submitted our candidature and hope that we will shortly be selected by the FIA as the 13th entry in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship" said a Cypher team spokesperson; "We aspire to bring America's red, white, and blue back into Formula One.

Jonathan Summerton has already proved his speed and ability to race in both the F3 Euro Series and A1GP, winning against current F1 drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Kamui Kobayashi, Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, Adam Carroll and Romain Grosjean.

He is the only American to have won an A1GP race from all the American drivers who have competed in the series including Marco Andretti, Buddy Rice, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Scott Speed.

'Jonathan is capable of racing against the top Formula One drivers and we hope to be able to give him a competitive car. We look forward to the opportunity of being on the starting grid in 2011'.

The team's website - which is already selling team merchandise - features iconic pictures of F1, mainly from the 50s and 60s, while talking of the heritage of the sport.

While not wishing to pour cold water on Cypher's ambitions or intent, this is worryingly similar to the claptrap spouted by British American Racing and then USF1.