Tuesday 26 January at 08:01 : Jan.26 (GMM) USF1 on Monday confirmed Jose Maria Lopez as its first driver for the 2010 season.

Lopez, 26, a former Renault tester and GP2 driver, reportedly comes to the new American team with sponsorship backing from his native Argentina and even the support of the government.

He returned from European single seater racing to Argentina in recent years, achieving success in domestic 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," said USF1 sporting director Peter Windsor.

With Lopez in attendance, his contract was announced by Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner at government house in Buenos Aires, and according to the Sun newspaper, former F1 driver turned politician Carlos Reutemann was also instrumental.

The British newspaper also said Reutemann, a winner of 12 grands prix and a member of the same political party (Partido Justicialista) as Fernandes de Kirchner, was a friend of Windsor.