José María López

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José María López
López in 2006
Nationality	Argentine
Date of birth	April 26, 1983 (1983-04-26) (age 26)
Place of birth	Río Tercero, Córdoba
2009 TC 2000
Debut season	2007
Current team	Equipo Petrobras
Car no.	1
Starts	28
Wins	9
Poles	?
Best finish	1st in 2008 and 2009
Previous series
2001-2002 2002 2003-2004 2004 2005-2006 2007 2007 2008 2008-2009	Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Formula Renault 2.0 Italia Formula Renault V6 Eurocup International Formula 3000 GP2 Series American Le Mans Series TC 2000 FIA GT Championship TC 2000
Championship titles
2002 2003 2008, 2009	Formula Renault 2.0 Italia Formula Renault V6 Eurocup TC 2000

José María López (born April 26, 1983 in Río Tercero, Argentina) is a race car driver. He raced in the 2006 GP2 Series for the Super Nova team, and previously for the DAMS team, and the CMS team in Formula 3000. He was also at Renault F1 as a test driver.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Career

His competitive career started in 2001, driving in the Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup, unlike many drivers who start out in karting championships. He stayed there for the 2002 season, also driving in Italian Formula Renault the same year, where he became champion. He moved on to the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup the following year, making his first association with the DAMS team and subsequently winning the title.

2004 was a bit more eventful for López, as he moved up to Formula 3000 with the CMS team. He also continued in the V6 Eurocup that year, driving some races, as well as getting a test of the FIA GT Championship by filling in at one race for the DAMS Lamborghini team.

López raced in the inaugural season of the GP2 Series in 2005, making him one of only a select few drivers in the series who had previous experience of a full season in Formula 3000, the series which GP2 replaced. For 2006 he moved up the grid to the Super Nova team and despite not managing to emulate the success that Adam Carroll managed with the team, nonetheless impressed.

In the early part of 2007, López raced in the American Le Mans Series, racing a Ferrari 430 GT for Corsa Motorsports/White Lightning in the 12 Hours of Sebring, and for Risi Competizione at St. Petersburg.

López also returned to Argentina in 2007 to race in TC 2000, the country's touring car championship. He won the drivers' title in 2008, and successfully defended this crown in 2009. López also joined the Turismo Carretera in 2008 and the Top Race V6 in 2009; he became TRV6 champion in 2009. On 20 December 2009 he narrowly lost out on winning the 2009 Turismo Carretera title after crashing out on an oilspill on the 18th lap of the final race of the season, thereby losing the unique opportunity to win three different championships in the same season.

López has confirmed that he has a deal in place with US F1 to race in the 2010 Formula One season, provided he secures an eight million-dollar sponsorship package.^[1] Sources close to López claim he already has eighty percent of the funds needed to secure his place in the team.^[2]

[edit] Racing record

[edit] Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

[edit] Complete GP2 Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website