Sutil, not Klien, on verge of Spyker deal UPDATE #5 This rumor is upgraded to 'fact' with today's announcement by Spyker.
11/21/06 "F1 is the place to be as a racing driver," says Sutil, who won the Japanese Formula 3 Championship last month. "I love to be in the F1 paddock and to be able to drive those cars. I hope that I can get at least a real test driver's job next year, where I can do all the Fridays and all the test work, and after that for sure I want to race."
11/18/06 (GMM) Adrian Sutil, a part time Midland-Spyker test driver in 2006, says he is toying with a second option to stay in the Formula One paddock next year.
The 23-year-old German - and newly crowned Japanese F3 champion - was arguably the most impressive of the Dutch-owned team's raft of Friday runners this year.
Spyker says it is 'working hard' to retain him.
German news agency Sport-Informations-Dienst, meanwhile, quoted Sutil as saying: "I have two options (for F1 in 2007). I will make my decision next week."
11/15/06 (GMM) Adrian Sutil has raced into pole position to become the Spyker team's principal test driver in 2007.
A report on the Silverstone based team's website said: "Both Adrian and Spyker are working hard to ensure that he continues with the team into 2007, as he's regarded as a great prospect."
German Sutil, 23, was arguably the most impressive of Midland-Spyker's raft of 'Friday' runners in 2006, and late in the season wrapped up his first Japanese F3 crown.
He said: "I hope I can at least get a real test driver's job where I can do all the Fridays and all the test work, and after that for sure I want to race."
Sutil was teammate to last year's F3 Euroseries champion Lewis Hamilton in 2005, and Spyker principal Colin Kolles suggested recently that Ron Dennis' support for the McLaren protégé is similar to his own fondness for Sutil.
"We'll see who makes it (into F1) first," Kolles said.
09/14/06 This rumor is upgraded to 'strong' today. Despite the wavering speculation of recent days, Christian Klien is now expected to be confirmed as Spyker-MF1's new 'Friday' driver for the Chinese GP.
The axed Red Bull racer, who turned down the energy drink company's offer of a Champ Car ride in favor of a formula one gamble for 2007, is believed to have penned a deal to drive in Shanghai for his new team.
Despite losing Red Bull's backing, 23-year-old Klien is understood to have secured the seat with the help of 'Superfund' sponsorship, according to the mass-circulation Austrian daily Kronen-Zeitung.
When asked if he could confirm Klien's new Spyker arrangement, father Johannes told Austria Presse Agentur: ''I can not confirm that.
''Something like that can only be said publicly by the team.''
09/13/06 (GMM) Reports that said Christian Klien is on the verge of a deal with the newly renamed 'Spyker-MF1' team may have been premature.
Austrian newspaper 'Salzburger Nachrichten' has quoted a team insider who casts doubt on the 23-year-old's candidacy either for a 'Friday' role this year or a full race cockpit in 2007.
Klien was ousted by Red Bull Racing in the hours after last Sunday's Monza race, but on Tuesday the Austrian said he 'appreciated' now being free from contractual obligations so that he can concentrate on finding a new F1 cockpit.
The team 'insider', however, played down Spyker-Midland principal Colin Kolles' reported interest in Klien, given energy drink Red Bull's reluctance to continue backing him.
''Basically he was trying to find out if Klien could bring along a Red Bull sponsorship,'' the source said.
Elsewhere, it is claimed that Germany's Adrian Sutil is more likely to win the 'Friday' Spyker seat for China and Japan, and is also on the list to race for the team next year.
