Adios Tuero?
Minardi pilot Esteban Tuero could find himself out of work in 1999, because the Argentine Grand Prix has been left off next season's F1 schedule.
The young driver last season became Argentina's first F1 regular since Carlos Reutemann, but is thought to require ?1.5million to guarantee his seat for 1999. With most of this year's budget coming from his homeland, sponsors are understandably reluctant to commit to another campaign when there is no race on which to base their outlay.
Minardi pilot Esteban Tuero could find himself out of work in 1999, because the Argentine Grand Prix has been left off next season's F1 schedule.
The young driver last season became Argentina's first F1 regular since Carlos Reutemann, but is thought to require ?1.5million to guarantee his seat for 1999. With most of this year's budget coming from his homeland, sponsors are understandably reluctant to commit to another campaign when there is no race on which to base their outlay.
Argentine president Carlos Menem is keen to ensure that both Tuero and the grand prix feature next season, and has entered talks pledging to return both to F1 immediately. Menem is thought to have met with Bernie Ecclestone this week as part of his visit to Britain.
Minardi, meanwhile, continues to add names to its list of possible drivers for 1999, with Open Fortuna champ Marc Gene, and Dutch F3 star Donny Crevels - who has raced in Italy this season - the latest to join the list. Gene's team-mate - and potential Fortuna runner-up - Antonio Garcia is also short-listed, despite only racing karts in 1997!
