Tiago Monteiro to drive for former world champion
source: autosport.com
Legendary driver Emerson Fittipaldi is returning to the Champ Car World
Series, having finalised plans to run his own team in the championship this
year.
The Brazilian has established Fittipaldi-Dingman Racing in association with
businessman James Dingman. The team is being run in partnership with Conquest
Racing, and will run Portuguese driver Tiago Monteiro this season.
"I am very proud to return to Champ Car racing at a time when the sport is
in the midst of its most significant turnaround in history under the leadership
of Chris Pook," said Fittipaldi. "This time however, I will race as a
team owner, in a partnership with James Dingman. I have known the Dingmans
through James' father, Michael Dingman, for several years and I am confident
that this partnership will be successful on and off the track."
Champ Car series boss Chris Pook said: "We are excited about all of our
teams for the 2003 season, but are especially pleased about having one of our
former champions back in the series with Emerson owning a team. He and his team
will provide even more excitement for Champ Car fans in 2003.
Fittipaldi won the Formula 1 world championship in 1972 and 1974. He began
running in Champ Car's in 1984, winning the 1989 championship for the Patrick
Racing team. He was forced to retire after a crash in 1996.
Monteiro was team-mate to Sebastien Bourdais at Super Nova in Formula 3000 last
season. Prior to that, he competed in French Formula 3, winning eight races and
twice finishing runner-up in the championship.