Forythe 4 car atlantic Team

[coolhand]

the drivers are
Leonardo Maia-USA
James Hinchcliffe-CAN
Richard Philippe-FRA
Andreas Wirth-GER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



FORSYTHE ANNOUCES FOUR-CAR SUPERTEAM FOR 2006 CHAMP CAR ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP



CHICAGO, Illinois – January 11, 2006 – Forsythe Championship Racing, 2003 Vanderbilt Cup winner in the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford, is proud to announce a multi-car entry into the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship. “Forsythe Racing has a historic and deep association with Formula Atlantic” said Team Owner Jerry Forsythe. “With the Champ Car Atlantic Championship firmly established as the premier open wheel feeder series in North America and with the new and exciting changes for 2006, I am pleased to announce the formation of Forsythe Championship Racing's Atlantic ‘Superteam’ featuring four of the most promising young drivers in the world.”



Forsythe has signed American Leonardo Maia, Canadian James Hinchcliffe, Frenchman Richard Philippe and German Andreas Wirth to drive the Swift/Cosworth/Yokohama Atlantic combination in the 12-race 2006 Championship. Vice President of Operations Neil Micklewright will oversee the team with John Brunner serving as Team Manager.



Micklewright: “We saw the newly revamped Champ Car Atlantic series as being an incredible opportunity for young drivers. We wanted to become a big part of it and re-establish our driver development program. With $2 million dollars up for grabs for the series champion we decided to jump in with both feet and seek out the cream of the crop for our assault on the championship. With the signing of these four young drivers we’ve accomplished the first phase of that objective and now we’ll get to work winning races. Long Beach is going to be an incredible weekend and it’s difficult to contain our excitement.”



Forsythe’s 2006 Atlantic Drivers:



Leonardo Maia, just 25 years old, will serve as the “elder statesman” of the group. Born in Brazil, he moved to the United States in his youth and is now an American citizen. He was the 2003 Barber Dodge Pro Series Champion, winning six of ten races after securing the Barber CART Scholarship in 2001. "I am very honored and excited to be driving for Forsythe Championship Racing and alongside my new teammates” said Maia from his Florida home. “Team Forsythe has had great success in every series they have taken part in, and I hope I can extend that championship-winning tradition. After missing a year of racing in 2005, I am very anxious to get going!"



James Hinchcliffe is Canadian and recently turned 19. He finished 3rd in the ultra-competitive Star Mazda Series in 2005 after finishing 2nd and taking Rookie of the Year honors in the 2004 Formula BMW USA Championship. "Signing with Forsythe is an amazing opportunity” commented Hinchcliffe. “I don't think that there is a driver in the Atlantic field this year who did not dream about driving with one of the best teams in Champ Car. It’s great to be with a team that such a strong and successful history with Canadian drivers. Many of my racing heroes have driven with Forsythe and it feels really good to add my name to that list. This year's Championship is going to be mega. The driver incentive program and new car has lit a fire under this series and attracted a lot of talented drivers from all over the world. I know our team will be well prepared and I can't wait to hit the streets of Long Beach and see what we can do."



Richard Philippe, younger brother of Champ Car driver Nelson Philippe, turned 16 years old this month. He is the youngest driver to ever win a SKUSA 125cc shifter kart event and went on to dominate the 2005 Formula BMW USA Championship. "I am really happy to be part of Forsythe Racing for the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship” said Philippe “as I'm sure it will be a very successful year for both of us! I believe the only thing Forsythe Racing wants to do is win, which is the perfect position for me as it is the only thing I want to achieve this year. I'm confident we will have the best package."



Andreas Wirth, 21, is from Germany and was running 2nd in the 2005 Atlantic Championship until missing the final two events due to an injury. He was the 2004 Formula BMW USA champion. “I’m really looking forward to this year’s Championship” said Wirth, currently at home in Germany. “It will be very competitive and it’s the same for everyone, nobody knows the car already, so it comes back to the driver and the team. It is a great opportunity from Champ Car to put all the prize money out there which makes it really interesting for a lot of drivers all over the world! I know that I’m with one of the best teams out there and I’m confident to be in the fight for the championship. I’m really happy to drive for the Forsythe Atlantic team and want to thank all the people and sponsors who helped me to make this happen. I’m ready to go and can’t wait until everything starts now!”



The first event of the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship will take place on the historic streets of downtown Long Beach, California on the weekend of April 7-9. All twelve Atlantic events will be broadcast on Speed TV in North America. For more information please visit the official website of the series at

[Turn7]

:thumbup: :thumbup:

[NismoZ]

Yeah, but Indy got a so...uh, an ANTHEM!... Way to go Amigo! (He has to start preparing for a rather significant replacement you know.) Think people will be paying closer attention to Atlantics this season? :thumbup:

[Winston Wolfe]

Atlantics is going to absolutely FRIGGIN rock this year....

I read the bio on Fabio's little brother.... but what's is the word on the street on Lil' Phillippe ??? Does he has some talent, or he is another wanna be, with Samson's hair-do ???

[RHR_Fan]

A 4-car team...that's sweet. Plus I recognize all of the driver names. hehe I'm glad he's giving Maia a chance, about time someone does.

~Nicole

[Spicoli]

Atlantics is going to absolutely FRIGGIN rock this year.... :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

[tllips]

Micklewright: “... With $2 million dollars up for grabs for the series champion we decided to jump in with both feet and seek out the cream of the crop for our assault on the championship.”



Jerry probably put up half of that $2Mil, so maybe he is just trying to keep that in his pocket. (plus take KK's million :D )

Yeah, I'd say the Atlantics are going to be fun to watch next year!

[KLang]

Very cool. :thumbup:

I guess PT's replacement will likely be one of those four.

I'm surprised Philippe didn't end up at Mi-Jack.

[nrc]

This Atlantic season is going to look like a pack of hungry dogs chasing a pork chop. :D

[The Doctor]

This is one of the coolest things announced for the Atlantics yet. Fantastic lineup, props to Gerry for putting quality drivers in quality drives.

[Dr. Corkski]

:thumbup:

No wonder Danica II doesn't want to go back now.

[Anteater]

Atlantics is going to absolutely FRIGGIN rock this year....

I have to agree with this statement! :thumbup:


I read the bio on Fabio's little brother.... but what's is the word on the street on Lil' Phillippe ??? Does he has some talent, or he is another wanna be, with Samson's hair-do ???

He was the Formula BMW USA champ this year, and it sounds like he can drive:
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=9862

He doesn't have the flowing locks of Fabio (at least he didn't any time I saw him in the paddock).

Anyway, this is good news about Forsythe's Atlantic team--I'm especially happy to see Leo Maia back with a fulltime ride.

[RHR_Fan]

More drivers around my age! Woot!!! :D Although 'Lil Fabio (I like the nickname hehe) is younger than me by like 2 years!

~Nicole

[SurfaceUnits]

Forsythe foursome dine out on first test.

The first test of the year is usually marked by sunburn and hot laps, but the first meeting of Forsythe Championship Racing's four young Formula Atlantic hotshoes at Sebring was also a chance for a completely new group of drivers, mechanics and engineers to see how the chemistry of the team is going to jell.

Leonardo Maia, James Hinchcliffe, Andreas Wirth and Richard Philippe all ran quick laps throughout the four days in Florida but, from the outset, the focus was on getting to know one another and establishing performance baselines for the team itself as much as the cars.

"This was a chance for us to see how we're going to work together," team manager John Brunner admitted, "Having dinner together in the evenings may have been more important than the time we spent at the track.

"However, I'm very pleased with how everyone got along and we definitely seem to be setting the stage for an outstanding team. It seems like we're all old friends already, and that's a good sign. Plus the boys did some very competitive lap times – icing on the cake!"

The team obtained a pair of Swift 014.a chassis to use at the test, while also bringing out one of its Lola Champ Cars for Wirth and Philippe to get a glimpse of their potential 750-horsepower future. The German and his French colleague were selected to drive the Champ Car based on their previous test experience, while Maia and Hinchcliffe will get a taste later in the year.

"I really want to thank Forsythe for the opportunity to drive their Champ Car at this test - and it was a very good week overall," Philippe said, "The purpose of the test was to get the team members comfortable with one another, along with the drivers, and I'm very pleased to be able to say that we've created a very professional and fun environment to work in. James, Andreas, Leo and I all got along very well and we were all fast and competitive."

Maia, Wirth and Hinchcliffe all shared Philippe's assessment of the four days, with the German commenting that 'when work is that much fun, it's very cool!'.

"The whole thing went really, really well," Atlantic rookie Hinchcliffe summed up, "We all knew, going into it, that the test was about team building, and we accomplished that more than I anticipated. It was very rewarding on a number of levels and, on top of it all, we all were able to post some very quick laps.

"When we get the new cars and have the opportunity to work with them, I have a feeling we're going to show up in Long Beach with four very fast Swifts. We're all excited and it's beyond words to say how good a team we became right away."

[NismoZ]

"Fast Swifts", Quick swifts, Swift Swifts...whatever.