Brawn GP’s Brown and Piquet eye USF1

UPDATE In a regurgitation of a rumor we posted almost a week ago, Italiaracing.net reports that the latest name linked with the hopeful American outfit Cypher Group is Nelson Piquet Jr. 22-year-old Indy Lights driver Jonathan Summerton has already confirmed he is working with the team to form "the American F1 team with an American driver".

Italiaracing.net reports that Piquet, the Brazilian and crashgate conspirator, is also being linked with Cypher.

Since being ousted by Renault mid last season, the 24-year-old has been racing mainly in NASCAR's lower-tier truck series. It is also reported that Cypher has recruited Steve Brown, the former Brawn GP research and development engineer who switched to the abortive USF1 last year.

07/16/10 Steve Brown, the Research and Development Officer of 2009 Champions Brawn GP before making a switch to the now defunct US F1 team, is one of the key figures behind the hopeful American Cypher Group project, it has been revealed by Brazil’s iG Esporte website, who also claim that Nélson Piquet Jr. is in talks with the outfit.

With Cypher hoping for a place on the 2011 grid, the group consists of several ex US F1 engineers – but has no connection with founders Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor – plus several others.

However, it has now been revealed that Brown is at the forefront of the effort, with former Renault driver Piquet – who left the sport shortly before last year’s highly controversial ‘Crashgate’ scandal emerged – in discussions for a possible drive.

Also in talks, as known previously, is America’s Jonathan Summerton.