Campos Meta Team: Update on the Drivers’ Situation

Many drivers are lining up at Campos Meta Team’s door. As the team is looking for funding, any driver who can bring financial backing is therefore welcome!

There remains, in principle, only one seat available at Campos since Pedro De La Rosa, a long-standing McLaren test and reserve driver of Spanish nationality, is very strongly considered for the team, but as a recognized driver, and thus with a salary: “He’s our first choice [Pedro De La Rosa]. It will be him or Marc Gene,” announced Adrian Campos, owner of the eponymous team. Marc Gene is also on Campos’s list, evidently in case Pedro De La Rosa is not available.

The second available seat will go to a paying driver, and there is a plethora of candidates, with Bruno Senna being the favorite on this list. Rumors indicate that the Brazilian might have already signed a contract with the new Spanish team. The nephew of the legendary Ayrton Senna was already expected in Formula One last year with Honda and had even conducted tests for the Japanese team. But after the withdrawal of the Japanese manufacturer, Ross Brawn preferred Rubens Barrichello. Bruno Senna would bring a budget, thanks to his personal sponsors, estimated between 10 and 12 million euros per season.

Vitaly Petrov is the second most likely candidate. The young Russian driver, currently second in the GP2 championship for the Campos team before the last race, comes from a wealthy family and would also bring a substantial budget, estimated at 15 million euros. Vitaly Petrov is also sought after by the other newcomers, Lotus and Manor. Following him are Lucas Di Grassi and Nelson Piquet Jr., who have budgets estimated at 7 and 5 million euros respectively, then Sergio Pérez supported by the Argentine automobile federation and Pastor Maldonado. Daniele Audetto, the manager of Campos Meta, revealing that the list for the second seat includes no fewer than 10 drivers.

Adrian Campos adds that the team will meticulously study all available options. “We want to have decided on our drivers as soon as possible but not before mid-November,” he told Autosport.com. “It is not easy because the nationality of the drivers is very important, considering the repercussions in each country, for the sponsors, and other things as well. There are many points on which we need to be very careful.”