Grapevine: Sullivan, Red Bull Support American Drivers

Former Grand Prix driver Danny Sullivan has developed the 'Red Bull Formula One Drivers Search' in a bid to help American talent progress into Formula One.

Sullivan, who drove for Tyrrell in 1983, is hoping to help his fellow countrymen follow in the footsteps of Michael Andretti, the last American driver to compete in Grands Prix nine years ago.

"There is a lot of talent out there, but we don't have anywhere for them to step up and prove their stuff," Sullivan said. "My intention is to get a group of American drivers, put them all together, test them on the track, plus physically, see how their characters are and so forth.

"If we have 20 great guys, then we have to bring 20 great guys over to Europe. If there are 10, we will bring 10. From that we will pick four drivers, probably two a little bit younger and two a little bit more experienced."

Sullivan admitted he was aiming to move promising drivers into a junior formula in Europe so that they would have the platform to impress team bosses.

"We will probably put them into anything from Formula Three, Formula Ford, Formula Nissan, Formula BMW or some other category, and not necessarily in one place, and not just in England," he added. "For example, if we do Formula Three, we might put one in Formula Three in England and one in Formula Three in Germany with the best team and best budget.

"We have to give them the best opportunity of showing what they are capable of doing. If they do well and maybe need a year in Formula Three, then Red Bull will step up and put them into Formula Three. It is a minimum of a five-year program."

Sullivan also admitted that Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was behind the scheme as the series attempts to compete with the likes of NASCAR, IRL and CART in the United States.

He added: "We are getting a lot of help from Bernie Ecclestone and F1 because everybody would like to see an American in F1. It is good for the sport, and it is the World Championship, so there is no reason why a country with as many people as we have shouldn't be represented.

"We definitely have the talent; we just have to give them the opportunity to find a place to show it."