The FIA TGP Championship will be bigger than ever in 2005 with the influx of six new drivers and the addition of several iconic Grand Prix cars not see on the race tracks of Europe for many years.
Arrows appear to be popular cars for TGP racers with 3 of the six newcomers choosing them. Rowland Kinch will bring out Arrows A1 Chassis 3 which was driven by in the Warsteiner livery by Ricardo Paterese, Jochen Maas and Rolf Stommolen. Patrese also piloted Arrows A3 chassis 4 which will be brought to the races by Lincoln-based and erstwhile saloon car racer, Peter Sowerby whilst the final Arrows in the pack is the A4 chassis 2 which will be driven by Janine Payne, stepping up from F3 racing to compete against partner, Richard Eyre.
From other marques, Belgian Alain de Wagter arrives from F2 with his Surtees TS16-2 that will be run by 2004 championship winning Belgian preparers, MEC Auto. John Watson, Carlos Pace and Jochen Maas originally drove the car in the 1974 season and for TGP it will be returned to the ‘Bang & Olufsen’ livery from the ‘Matchbox’ design it was in when purchased. That purchase was arranged by Steve Worrad of Maverick Motorsport who has also bought the Shadow DN5 driven by Tom Price and plans to compete it – either himself or with a paying driver – once the restoration is complete.
The final new face to the grid is Barron Racing sportscar ace, John Bosch with his Ferrari 312 T3. He has entered the first race at Hockenheim and is hopeful of a full TGP season.
Shuffling in the rest of the pack sees several drivers changing vehicles and classes. Reigning Champion, Rodrigo Gallego switches from his March 761 in class B to the later Class D category in a Minardi 185. Nico Bindels moves out of the flat-bottomed D class and into the ground-effects school with his ex-Mansell Lotus 87B-3. Sid Hoole has finally completed the restoration of his immaculate Lotus 80-1, the ex-Andretti machine from the 1979 season. Italian racer, Pietro Ratti switches from class C having chosen a Brabham BT42-5 from his collection and will compete in class B against Andrea Bahlsen’s Tyrrell 008 which she returns to after a year in a Lotus 81.
Oli McCrudden, Championship Co-ordinator, is looking forward to a good year: "We’re very pleased with the pre-season take-up. New faces, new cars; grids are looking good. We’ve currently got 25 runners lined-up for round 1 at Hockenheim and Monza’s got 31. With double-header events at some races through the year including our first Race of Champions Revival event at Brands Hatch with the A1GP fraternity, we’ll be having some good old fashioned fun with our racing."
