British star hoping to continue in CART
source: autosport.com
British single-seater
star Darren Manning has not given up on a Champ Car drive in the 2003 series,
despite testing a Japanese GT Nissan over the Christmas period, and has
expressed his desire to be on the grid at Brands Hatch on May Bank Holiday
weekend.
"It would be great fun to drive at Brands Hatch on the Indy
circuit in a Champ Car," he said on stage at the AUTOPORT International Show
this morning (Friday). "Paddock Hill Bend will be fantastic - 180mph no
problem!"
Manning was praised highly by CART boss Chris Pook yesterday
who expressed his desire to see the Briton driving a Champ Car this year.
"We are still looking hard," said Manning. "We want to be out there for
the full championship next year. But if not the full thing then maybe some of
the other European races.
"I was speaking with Chris Pook yesterday and
we are in constant communication with the people at CART and quite a few teams.
I haven't signed anything with anybody and we are keeping our options
open."
Manning hasn't
ruled out a return to Japan where he won the domestic Formula 3 championship in
1999 with Toyota where he would run a two-pronged campaign of Formula Nippon and
Japanese GTs.
"I still have strong base of teams from Japan that are
still interested in me from when I raced there in '99," he said. "At least I
could earn some money there as well.
"The GT 500s are very hi-tech pieces
of kit. They are restricted in power to about 500bhp, but because they are
turbo-charged engines you have got no torque until about 4000rpm but then it
just goes to maximum, so they are a bit tail happy when you first get in them.
"Formula Nippon will be part of my deal if I do that. My heart is still
firmly fixed on Champ Cars or Formula 1. I want to be still racing in
single-seater categories."