19/02/2010
NEWS STORY
While US F1 uses Twitter to report that all is well and that there will be more news to follow, it is reported that driver Jose Maria Lopez has already agreed a deal which will see him join Bruno Senna at Campos.
The Campos team looks to have been saved by Jose Carabante though we await official confirmation. The deal would see the departure of Adrian Campos - the man who gave the team its name - and the arrival of former Midland and Spyker team boss Colin Kolles.
After his website appeared to be "suspended" for a short time yesterday - at the same time as US F1's was undergoing problems by an amazing coincidence - Jose Maria Lopez was finally able to release a statement confirming that he had met with US F1 bosses to discuss the situation.
However, as Pitpass pointed out, by this time the word was already out on the street about the meeting - which had taken place a day earlier - and that according to reports, at that time, US F1 boss Peter Windsor had - with tears in his eyes - told the Argentine driver that the team would not be on the grid in Bahrain and probably not at all this season.
Lopez' website was eventually restored, as was US F1's, however, by this time the Argentine driver was in Europe, accompanied by his father, TV executive and advisor Felipe McGough, and his former touring car boss Victor Rosso. The quartet met up with Bernie Ecclestone and by late last night there was increasing speculation that Lopez will join Bruno Senna at the newly rescued Campos team.
Sadly, one is unable to glean any further insight from Lopez' website as at present it is shown as 'account suspended'. However, the serious money is on the Argentine driving a Dallara with Carabante's backing and under the direction of Kolles this season.