Brits on Pole

Earlier in the season, just when the threat of a split in world motorsport seemed to be receding, up popped Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone with dangerous talk of F1 breakaways and rivals to GP2. But if it happens, does it have to end in tears?

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.

The owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League (IRL) have announced that they have reached an agreement for the two series to merge. And it’s IRL that seems have come out on top - the new formula will be named the Indy Racing League and the competition will be known as the IndyCar Series.

Justin Wilson is one of five Champ Car drivers to take part in the first major motorsport event of the year in the US - the 2008 Daytona 24-hour challenge. He will be joined by Scots racer Ryan Dalziel in the Daytona Prototype class when the event gets underway on January 26.

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.

Justin Wilson, currently second in the Champ Car standings with a race to go, has been named in the four-driver shortlist for the 2007 Greg Moore Legacy Award which he won last year.

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.

Rumours that Justin Wilson is a driver of choice for the Newman/Haas/Lanigan racing team next year have been given a bit of a boost recently - courtesy of Sebastien Bourdais’ race engineer.