JULY 20, 2006

More on Stoddart's Champ Car plans

Former Minardi team owner Paul Stoddart has confirmed that he is looking at running a Champ Car team in 2007 but he says that "no decisions are made". There is no doubt that Dutchman Harry Muermans, a Minardi sponsor, is keen on the idea and seems to be willing to fund the operation but Stoddart says he is not sure that he wants to spend that much time in the United States. It is, however, a good moment to be getting into the series as there are new chassis next year and so teams will start the year on an even footing and there is always the hope that Champ Car and IRL will eventually get back together and teams in America will have a value again. Stoddart says that there are talks going on and that a decision should be made by the end of August.

It is a little early to speculate about drivers but Red Bull Racing's Robert Doornbos would obviously be a candidate if he did not get a deal to stay in F1.