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First American driver to compete F1 since 1993
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-07 09:50
LONDON - An American driver is back in Formula One racing for the first time
in more than a decade.
Scott Speed, a 22-year-old Californian, was chosen
Tuesday to drive next season for the Scuderia Toro Rosso team. He's the first
American in the series since Michael Andretti in 1993.
"I'm very serious about establishing myself in Formula One as one of the
talented guys out there ¡ª not as some publicity stunt," Speed said. "I think I'm
here for my talent, and I'm looking forward to being able to show that next
year."
Speed, who grew up in Manteca, Calif., moved to Europe almost three years ago
and settled near Salzburg, Austria.
He won the British Formula 3 title in 2003, and both the German and Eurocup
Formula Renault championships last year. This season he raced with Red Bull in
GP2 ¡ª the circuit just below Formula One.
Complicating his push to reach F1 has been a three-year battle with
ulcerative colitis, a disease that causes inflammation and bleeding in the
lining of the large intestine. The disease is under control using medication,
Speed said.
"They have no explanation for why I got the disease, but it's part of this
whole thing that's made everything so hard," Speed said in a telephone interview
from Austria. "To achieve a big part of the goal now, it's so exciting, it's
such a relief. And at the same time we are asking for more."
Americans have had scant success in F1, the world's most expensive auto
racing circuit.
Andretti managed only a third-place finish in 13 races in 1993 for McLaren.
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