It’s Full Speed Ahead

Hoping to become the rare American driver to crack into Formula One, Scott Speed at least has the right name for the job.

“Everyone who sees it figures it’s for marketing, but it’s my real name,” Speed said. “I guess it fits well. If it helps me get to where I want to go, great.”

In only a few years, the 22-year-old Californian has moved from racing go-karts -- powered by sophisticated lawnmower engines -- to test-driving an 800-horsepower, 200-mph F1 car.

“It was a dream come true, a goal since I was 11,” said Speed, who tested for Red Bull’s F1 team last month on the Circuit de Catalunya -- the site of next month’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Driving his first F1 car, Speed posted the top time in Barcelona. Though it’s difficult to compare test times, Speed was quicker than Williams-BMW driver Nick Heidfeld and Williams test driver Antonio Pizzonia.

“It was unbelievable,” Speed said. “It doesn’t compare with anything else. I’ve driven an IRL car, a Champ Car and none of them comes close. The whole package is so much faster. There’s more grip, it’s quicker in the corners. It’s apples and oranges from everything else.”

Speed will start the season with Red Bull’s GP2 team -- the feeder series just below F1 -- but could be promoted to test driver this year. A full-fledged drive looms for 2006.

“He [Speed] has demonstrated that he is not just speed by name, he is speed by nature,” said Christian Horner, Red Bull’s F1 team director.

David Coulthard, 34, is Red Bull’s top driver, scoring nine points in the first three races of the season. Christian Klien, 22, of Austria drove the first three races but will be replaced in at least the next three by Italian driver Vitantonio Liuzzi, 24.

Speed was uncovered by the Red Bull Drivers Search, the brainchild of New York advertising executive Maria Jannace. After working a decade ago with former F1 series champion Nigel Mansell, she began a campaign to find American F1 talent.

“I was really surprised at the lack of interest in America in Formula One,” she said. “Of course, that’s because there are no U.S. drivers.”

F1 is the unrivaled global leader in auto racing, led by Ferrari with an annual budget of $400 million. Ferrari’s seven-time champion Michael Schumacher earns about $50 million annually, making him among the world’s richest athletes.

“In America, racing is driven by NASCAR, which is a big running joke in Europe,” Speed said. “Obviously, having an American in Formula One offers big marketing capabilities in America. Hopefully, in the next couple of seasons I’ll accomplish that goal.”

The last American driver in F1 was Michael Andretti, who managed only a third-place finish in 13 races in 1993 for McLaren.

His father, Mario, was the most successful American in F1, winning 12 times in 128 races and taking the season title in 1978. Only one other American has won the series title -- Phil Hill in 1961.

Other Americans who have made a mark include Dan Gurney, Peter Revson, Richie Ginther and Eddie Cheever.

Red Bull, owned by Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, bought Jannace’s talent-search idea. In the inaugural program in 2002, Speed came out on top. In 2003, the search uncovered Colin Fleming (San Diego), and last year it was John Edwards (Little Rock, Ark.). They’ll drive this season in lower series in Europe.

This month, Red Bull is likely to attract 5,000 young drivers to 60 karting centers across the United States, hoping to find another Speed or Schumacher.

Like Schumacher and many top drivers, Speed started racing go-karts at his home in Manteca, Calif. Speed won his first national karting title at 11, following the passion of his father, Mike, and brother, Alex.

He moved up to six-speed karts that reach 100 mph, then graduated to open-wheel racing in 2001.

He won the British Formula 3 title in 2003, and the German and Eurocup Formula Renault championships last year.

“My family is still in quite a bit of debt from trying to help me with karting,” said Speed, who has lived the last two years in Salzburg, Austria.

To keep the debt in check, he formed Scott Speed Inc. to cover his living expenses the last two years. Red Bull covers the racing costs.

“The idea is if I make it to Formula One, they get some payback,” Speed said. “I don’t have very much personal money. For right now I’m just spending, spending.”