Argentine signs conditional USF1 race deal

(L to R) Ken Anderson, Jose Lopez and Peter Windsor

(GMM) Argentine driver Jose Maria Lopez has reportedly signed to race with the USF1 team in 2010.

The 26-year-old former GP2 driver, who has recently been racing in his country's touring car championship, must complete a $8m sponsorship package but has signed documentation at the team's Charlotte base, the Corsa publication said.

"The agreement with the American team is done," said Carlos Garcia Remohi, an official with the Argentine club.

"We have a week to finish collecting the budget."

Lopez, who occasionally tested with Renault a few years ago, was pictured by the ambito.com website standing at the USF1 entrance with principals Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor.

"To be specific, at this moment we lack about 20 per cent of the budget," Lopez's father confirmed.