An American in F1 (Redux)

Last month I noted that the Red Bull F1 team had confirmed that American driver Scott Speed would be the team's Friday test driver next year. Since then, Speed's status has been upgraded. Red Bull announced this weekend at Spa that it has purchased the Minardi team and will turn it into a Red Bull junior team, starting in 2006. Speed will be one of the team's two drivers, competing in the races themselves instead of just performing testing duties. Some have speculated that maybe this isn't a good move for Speed, Minardi being a constant backmarker. But with an infusion of Red Bull cash and, presumably, use of this year's Red Bull-Cosworth (at least), the profile of RBJr. should be much higher than Minardi. Either way, the Stars and Stripes will fly over F1 next year!