Preparations are well underway for the debut of the team early next year, which is set to join the Formula One grid for the 2010 season. The car is being designed, the manufacturing facility is in the process of ramping up for production, and the team is continuing to staff up. But while the squad focuses on building the chassis and infrastructure, speculation has been running rampant over who will sponsor the team and who will be driving its two cars.

Previous reports indicated that YouTube could be on board, and now the latest suggest that Best Buy, which currently sponsors Elliott Sadler’s #19 Dodge Charger for the Richard Petty team in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series, could be in the mix as well. The rumors are fueled by an entry which Barry Judge, the electronics retail giant’s chief marketing officer, posted on Twitter asking the public what they thought of the idea of Best Buy, currently is in the midst of a European expansion, linking up with the team.

The one thing USF1 is not interested in is “pay drivers”. Often a lucrative option for start-up teams, pay drivers bring with them enticing sponsorship cash, but while the team was approached by a couple of up-and-comers from the GP2 feeder series, which could have covered a reported three quarters of the team’s budget, neither was American, so the team turned them down to stick to their guns. You know, to defend democracy, hoist the stars and stripes and all that.

photo credit ©Best Buy

Author: Jeff