’No plan B’ as van der Garde eyes 2012 F1 debut

GP2 frontrunner Giedo van der Garde’s manager has revealed talks about the 2012 season with three formula one teams.

Last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, where the Dutchman emerged in second place behind the new GP2 champion Romain Grosjean, 26-year-old van der Garde was linked with the 2012 Williams seat currently occupied by Rubens Barrichello.

Media reports said he has "the most" sponsorship money to offer a potential F1 employer.

"That (F1) is the goal, yes," NUsport quotes van der Garde as saying. "My management is in talks with three teams, so there are possibilities. There is no plan B.

"So there are some free places but it (F1) is a strange world."

Van der Garde’s case is indeed unique, with his manager Jan Paul ten Hoopen doubling as the commercial director of the F1 sponsor McGregor, a Dutch fashion house.

And van der Garde’s father-in-law is billionaire Marcel Boekhoorn.

The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reports that Boekhoorn may be interested in buying into the Renault team, and van der Garde has also been linked with Virgin.

"The real conversations (with teams) don’t take place until October, or at least after the Italian grand prix," said manager ten Hoopen.