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Andretti: AGR considering Champ Car return
Mario Andretti says his son may be considering a move back to Champ Car in time for 2007.
Michael Andretti left Champ Car in 2003 to start Andretti-Green Racing and compete in the Indy Racing League. At the time, he was the latest "big name" to leave the former CART series for the rival open-wheel circuit.
But Mario Andretti, who has tried in the past to bring the two sides together, says rule changes set to be introduced in 2007 will make Champ Car an attractive series for any team.
"There are many reasons why Michael has a team in (the IRL), due to the support he's had from Honda up to now and to the importance of being present at the Indy 500 for his sponsors," Andretti tells Autosprint magazine.
"Champ Car nowadays is more interesting for the circuits they race on, both geographically-speaking and for being more various and complete, because you have street circuits and ovals, while in IndyCar almost all races are on ovals."
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"I think as soon as one of the top teams - Penske, Ganassi, Andretti or Rahal - decide to move, the others will follow suit. Rahal and Ganassi could be the ones making the first move."
There have been reports that Ganassi was considering fielding a car for select Champ Car events, such as Long Beach.
Champ Car is set to introduce a new chassis design in 2007, making it more cost-effecient and attractive for new teams to join the series. Every team will field a new Panoz DP01 built by Elan Motorsports Technologies which will be paired with the next generation of the turbo-charged Ford-Cosworth V8 engine.
"2007 will be the year where Champ Car will step out," series owner Gerald Forsythe recently stated. "We've had a lot of people expressing interest but without the availability of cars for this year, it makes it difficult. But people are planning now for 2007. There's light at the end of the tunnel. I believe there will be twenty-four plus Champ cars next year."
Andretti says the one key factor preventing a mass exodus from the IRL to Champ Car is the Indy 500, which remains key for certain teams and sponsors.
"(Michael's team) could even do Champ Car and just the Indy 500, but that would mean racing with completely different cars, making the costs soar and so on."
Mario Andretti says his son may be considering a move back to Champ Car in time for 2007.
Michael Andretti left Champ Car in 2003 to start Andretti-Green Racing and compete in the Indy Racing League. At the time, he was the latest "big name" to leave the former CART series for the rival open-wheel circuit.
But Mario Andretti, who has tried in the past to bring the two sides together, says rule changes set to be introduced in 2007 will make Champ Car an attractive series for any team.
"There are many reasons why Michael has a team in (the IRL), due to the support he's had from Honda up to now and to the importance of being present at the Indy 500 for his sponsors," Andretti tells Autosprint magazine.
"Champ Car nowadays is more interesting for the circuits they race on, both geographically-speaking and for being more various and complete, because you have street circuits and ovals, while in IndyCar almost all races are on ovals."
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><!--drop width--><TBODY><TR height=8><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Begin Ad --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> if(!sops){if(p.sops){var sops=p.sops;}else{var sops="";}} if(dUnitBox==true){boxAd=true;} if(boxAd){if((!dUnitSky)||(dUnitBox)){place300x250 ();}} </SCRIPT><!--- End Ad ---></TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"I think as soon as one of the top teams - Penske, Ganassi, Andretti or Rahal - decide to move, the others will follow suit. Rahal and Ganassi could be the ones making the first move."
There have been reports that Ganassi was considering fielding a car for select Champ Car events, such as Long Beach.
Champ Car is set to introduce a new chassis design in 2007, making it more cost-effecient and attractive for new teams to join the series. Every team will field a new Panoz DP01 built by Elan Motorsports Technologies which will be paired with the next generation of the turbo-charged Ford-Cosworth V8 engine.
"2007 will be the year where Champ Car will step out," series owner Gerald Forsythe recently stated. "We've had a lot of people expressing interest but without the availability of cars for this year, it makes it difficult. But people are planning now for 2007. There's light at the end of the tunnel. I believe there will be twenty-four plus Champ cars next year."
Andretti says the one key factor preventing a mass exodus from the IRL to Champ Car is the Indy 500, which remains key for certain teams and sponsors.
"(Michael's team) could even do Champ Car and just the Indy 500, but that would mean racing with completely different cars, making the costs soar and so on."
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