Despite claims that he turned his back on the opportunity to rejoin iSport International in order 'to hold out for an opportunity in F1 this year', Bruno Senna could yet make a return to the GP2 Series in 2009.
That is the claim of a source within the category, who told
Crash.net that, while he understands the Brazilian's desire to crack the top flight after two years in GP2, the feeder series would still present the best shop window should he not be able to achieve his aim.
The same source also suggested that, despite some of the leading teams having seemingly completed their line-ups for the coming campaign, it is not inconceivable that a lesser driver could be jettisoned to make room for Senna, who would surely be a title contender in the right seat.
iSport confirmed that Diego Nunes would partner Giedo van der Garde in 2009, having been told by Senna that he would rather hold out for an F1 shot than commit himself to running on the support programme, but few other outfits have revealed the full extent of their squads, despite having been in negotiation with drivers for much of the winter.
Reigning champion Racing Engineering is among those teams waiting to announce its chosen pairing but, while he insists that Senna is not in his plans with deals all but done, owner Alfonso d'Orleans admits that he can see others not being able to resist the Brazilian should he come calling.
"Maybe there are some teams with a second driver signed who would be willing to 'wait' for Senna," the Spaniard told
Crash.net,"and that second driver will be in something of an ejector seat."
To date, only iSport, ART (with Pastor Maldonado and Nico Hulkenberg) and DAMS (Kamui Kobayashi and Jerome d'Ambrosio) appear to have both their drivers in place, with others, Racing Engineering among them, hoping to confirm in the next week or so. Single seats at other teams have also been filled by the likes of Andi Zuber, Davide Valsecchi, Karun Chandhok, Roldan Rodriguez and Romain Grosjean, but there remain sufficient openings for Senna to have the pick of several opportunities.
The most intriguing of those could be at the Campos operation that won last year's teams' title courtesy of Lucas di Grassi's return to GP2. The Brazilian has been rumoured to be looking to the IndyCar Series after his hopes of supplanting countryman Nelson Piquet Jr at Renault F1 fell flat - although a fourth GP2 campaign is not beyond the realm of possibility - and is not understood to be a candidate at the team now run by Alejandro Agag.
With no word on a definitive line-up from the Spanish outfit as yet, it remains the best option should Senna perform a U-turn, with Vitaly Petrov potentially in the hotseat, allowing the Brazilian to partner Grosjean in what would be the strongest tandem in the field.
