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Series Finale for Champ Car in Mexico this weekend
Friday, 9 November 2007
Three weeks after the Champ Car Series was highlighted on the streets of Surfers Paradise, the 2007 championship will be coming to a close at the Gran Premio Tecate Presented by Banamex in Mexico City this weekend.
While Sebastien Bourdais (#1 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing) secured an unprecedented fourth straight Champ Car World Series at the Gold Coast Indy 300 the battle remains intense for the runner-up spot in the 2007 Champ Car World Series.
Entering this weekend’s final round, Justin Wilson (#9 RuSPORT) holds a slender eight-point buffer over Dutch rookie Robert Doornbos (#14 Minardi Team USA) in the chase for second place in the championship.
"I want to end the season with a win in Mexico City," Wilson said. "Finishing second in the championship is really important to the whole team and everyone at RuSPORT is determined to go out on top."
In addition to bragging rights, there is also a $200,000 difference in bonus money between the second-place finisher and the 10th-place finisher. And so the interest in Mexico City focuses not on the top spot but on the rest of the top ten, most notably the drivers who might finish in the top five slots in the final standings.
Of the nine drivers trailing Bourdais in the current top ten, only Wilson and Doornbos have a mathematical chance of finishing second. Doornbos, who clinched the 2007 top rookie award at Surfers Paradise, has his eye on position number two.
"I think we walked away from Surfers with the maximum result we could get out of the race after qualifying, so I'm happy," said Doornbos, who has scored two victories this season and briefly led the point standings after Toronto.
"Our final race in Mexico will decide if I can end the year on P2 in the standings. They can't take away my 'Rookie of the Year' title any more so that's good news."
Team Australia’s Will Power (#5 Team Australia) stands fourth in the standings with 234 points, thanks in part to victories at Las Vegas and Toronto and top-five finishes at Long Beach, Portland, Mont-Tremblant, San Jose and Zolder. But a frustrating outing at Surfers Paradise kept him from gaining ground on Wilson or Doornbos. Now all he can do is hope for the best and finish on a high note. A year ago, he was third at this track after qualifying fourth.
"Last year, I got my first podium in Champ Car there," Power said. "After the last couple of races, we are definitely due for a bit of good luck and I would be disappointed not to have a good finish to the season."
Power stands 28 points behind Doornbos but will have more than the Dutchman to worry about with teen rookie Graham Rahal (#2 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing) only 14 points behind in fifth place.
Earlier this week the schedule for the 2008 Champ Car World Series was announced with the Gold Coast Indy 300 set to again be the penultimate round in the championship on October 23 – 26.
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While Sebastien Bourdais (#1 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing) secured an unprecedented fourth straight Champ Car World Series at the Gold Coast Indy 300 the battle remains intense for the runner-up spot in the 2007 Champ Car World Series.
Entering this weekend’s final round, Justin Wilson (#9 RuSPORT) holds a slender eight-point buffer over Dutch rookie Robert Doornbos (#14 Minardi Team USA) in the chase for second place in the championship.
"I want to end the season with a win in Mexico City," Wilson said. "Finishing second in the championship is really important to the whole team and everyone at RuSPORT is determined to go out on top."
In addition to bragging rights, there is also a $200,000 difference in bonus money between the second-place finisher and the 10th-place finisher. And so the interest in Mexico City focuses not on the top spot but on the rest of the top ten, most notably the drivers who might finish in the top five slots in the final standings.
Of the nine drivers trailing Bourdais in the current top ten, only Wilson and Doornbos have a mathematical chance of finishing second. Doornbos, who clinched the 2007 top rookie award at Surfers Paradise, has his eye on position number two.
"I think we walked away from Surfers with the maximum result we could get out of the race after qualifying, so I'm happy," said Doornbos, who has scored two victories this season and briefly led the point standings after Toronto.
"Our final race in Mexico will decide if I can end the year on P2 in the standings. They can't take away my 'Rookie of the Year' title any more so that's good news."
Team Australia’s Will Power (#5 Team Australia) stands fourth in the standings with 234 points, thanks in part to victories at Las Vegas and Toronto and top-five finishes at Long Beach, Portland, Mont-Tremblant, San Jose and Zolder. But a frustrating outing at Surfers Paradise kept him from gaining ground on Wilson or Doornbos. Now all he can do is hope for the best and finish on a high note. A year ago, he was third at this track after qualifying fourth.
"Last year, I got my first podium in Champ Car there," Power said. "After the last couple of races, we are definitely due for a bit of good luck and I would be disappointed not to have a good finish to the season."
Power stands 28 points behind Doornbos but will have more than the Dutchman to worry about with teen rookie Graham Rahal (#2 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing) only 14 points behind in fifth place.
Earlier this week the schedule for the 2008 Champ Car World Series was announced with the Gold Coast Indy 300 set to again be the penultimate round in the championship on October 23 – 26.
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