Brits on Pole

Helio Castroneves can still win the IndyCar Series championship tonight - but he’s going to have to do it the hard way.

Plain-speaking Aussie businessman Paul Stoddart says he won’t be moving his Minardi Champ Car team across to the IRL following the merger because he’s had enough of trolling around at the back of the field.

Seven British drivers lined up for the start of the American open wheel season last year, the final campaign to see the sport split between IndyCar and Champ Car. Now, with the first unified season on the horizon, we look at their prospects for 2008.

In the US, the holiday season starts with Thanksgiving weekend - and Champ Car’s resident Brits are getting into the spirit with a road safety campaign which aims to cut road deaths during the festive period.

None of the three Brits running in the final race of the 2007 Champ Car season were happy with how their afternoon went - but Justin Wilson had the consolation that his only rival for second place in the championship had an even worse time of it.

Justin Wilson spent the whole of the two Champ Car Mexican Grand Prix qualifying sessions in with a shout of pole - but ended up having to settle for fifth.

With the title safely in the pocket of the departing Sebastien Bourdais, most of the attention at the season-ending Champ Car Mexican Grand Prix will be on whether Justin Wilson or Robert Doornbos can secure the runner-up spot.

Champ Car has added an extra European race for its newly-released 2008 schedule - but anyone hoping to see the likes of Justin Wilson and Katherine Legge race before their home fans is in for a disappointment.

Most of the Champ Car paddock is enjoying the long break between the European races and their next outing in Australia - but not so Dan Clarke and the rest of Minardi Team USA.

Dan Clarke, back behind the wheel after a one-race suspension, provided the only sparkle in a generally disappointing day for the Minardi USA team.