Van der Garde and sponsor McGregor eye 2011 Virgin seat

A Dutch GP2 driver is edging ever nearer a formula one race cockpit for the 2011 season.

Earlier this month, 25-year-old Giedo van der Garde’s manager revealed he is in talks with several teams and has received "concrete offers" from two.

Former Dutch F1 driver Jos Verstappen said at the time that he believes van der Garde’s talks were with Virgin and Lotus.

And now the Dutch magazine formule1.nl reports that he is in "extensive negotiations" with Virgin, who are believed to be seeking a pay-driver to be Timo Glock’s next teammate.

Interestingly, van der Garde’s manager Jan Paul ten Hoopen is also the commercial director of the Dutch fashion brand McGregor, who are set to stop sponsoring the Williams team.

And van der Garde’s father-in-law is Marcel Boekhoorn, a major shareholder of McGregor, who with ten Hoopen apparently visited Virgin’s team headquarters earlier this week.

"It’s a possibility," answered van der Garde when asked if he is going to make his F1 debut with Virgin in 2011.

"I’ve only heard that we are talking; I have no idea if it will come to a deal. That is my management’s job.

"Drivers are often the last to know. I only know that they are working on it and I hear there have been some meetings. I don’t know any more," he insisted.