Scott Speed
1993 marked the last occasion an American competed in Formula 1 with Michael Andretti enduring his largely unhappy sojourn with McLaren. At the same time taking his first steps in karting was a ten-year old Andrew Scott Speed destined to be the next U.S. born driver to take up the challenge of Grand Prix Racing. His first national karting title followed in 1995 and he continued to enjoy success in this discipline. Indeed he was the U.S. Super National Champion in 2000 and 2001 before stepping into cars and immediately taking his first single-seat title (Russell Racing Champion in 2001).
The following season Speed entered the Barber Dodge and Formula Mazda Championships and was successful enough to be selected for and win the Red Bull American Driver Search. This gave the American the chance to compete in selected races in the 2003 British F3 Series, but in the event a serious illness curtailed his season and he had to wait until the following year to start his European racing in earnest. Despite still being in great discomfort from ulcerative colitis, Scott competed in both the Formula Renault and Eurocup series and he became the first American to win a European Formula Junior title. In addition he tested for Eddie Cheever’s Red-Bull-backed IRL team.
In March 2005 Scott impressed at an F1 Barcelona test to win a role with Red Bull Racing, assuming the third driver duties in both the U.S. and Canadian Grands Prix Meanwhile the personable Californian was honing his racing skills in the very competitive GP2 series. Although he failed to win in this category he was often a front-runner and finished a solid third in the final standings.
To further hone his single-seater skills, Scott represented the USA in the newly inaugurated A1 GP Series in late 2005, competing in the first three round rounds (claiming fourth place finishes in both races at Estoril) before deciding he needed to concentrate fully on his Formula 1 testing duties.
The long absence of a U.S. driver in Formula came to an end in 2006, as Scott took up a seat in the newly created Toro Rosso team alongside Vitantonio Liuzzi. The American thought he had bagged a vital Championship point in just his third race, except he had overtaken David Coulthard under a yellow flag. This incurred a 25 second time penalty, dropping him down to ninth place, and denying the enraged driver of his hard fought prize. Enraged, the normally easy-going Speed was further punished with a $5,000 fine for using foul and abusive language at the stewards. Thereafter his season was spent unobtrusively trying to learn the circuits and wrest the best from a largely undistinguished car and engine package. He did little wrong, bur crucially he perhaps has failed to add a vital spark to the team with any performances of extra-special quality.
Scott remained on board for 2007, but he already knew that his contract would not be renewed. The driver and management relationships were however soon strained, with Speed voicing his dissatisfaction with the team’s performance. Unfortunately for the opinionated Speed, team co-owner Gerhard Berger was equally unimpressed by the performances of his driver. Things came to a head when Speed was involved in a physical altercation with team principal Franz Tost in the aftermath of the European Grand Prix. The American was summarily dismissed and immediately replaced by the talented Sebastian Vettel. With no viable options for him to continue in Formula 1, Speed returned to the U.S. initially to take up a career in stock cars courtesy of his long-term backer Red Bull.
