Glock rumours persist as Argentina eyes Virgin seat

As rumours persist that Timo Glock might be looking to move on, it emerges that Virgin has been in contact with Esteban Guerrieri about a 2011 race seat.

German Glock has a firm two-year contract with the struggling new British team, but he has been mentioned in connection with the potentially vacant seat next year alongside Robert Kubica at Renault.

He has been playing down those rumours in recent days, but this week admitted that running at the back of the grid has not been easy for him.

"For someone like me who has won the GP2 title and been on the podium with Toyota several times, it is no secret that it is not easy to be at the back," Glock is quoted by DPA news agency.

The 28-year-old said he still wants to win the F1 championship one day.

"If I didn’t think this, and did not do everything I can to make it a reality, then I would not belong in the premier class of motor racing," said Glock.

As those rumours swirl, it emerges from Argentina that the government could be set to support the potential F1 debut of 25-year-old Buenos Aires-born driver Esteban Guerrieri.

Local reports say there has been contact between his manager, Julio Gutierrez, and Virgin team boss John Booth, and also that the Formula Renault 3.5 driver has met with the Argentine interior minister.

"It was a very good meeting," said manager Gutierrez. "The minister expressed his intention to collaborate so that Esteban can reach formula one."

Guerrieri said: "I think the time is right to try (F1). I have an invitation from the Virgin team and we’re working on it, because in principle to get one of their seats we need to have about 8 million dollars.

"There should be developments within September, and the limit would be November."

The Argentine government was also involved in the ill-fated 2010 deal between Jose Maria Lopez and the abortive USF1 team.