Does Champ Car still eye Asia?

A large crowd turned out for Champ Car in Assen, Holland this year

The Champ Car series has already started encroaching on what is widely referred to as Formula One territory with races taking place in Europe this season. While they took place on tracks that Formula One does not use, such as Belgium’s Zolder circuit and TT Assen in the Netherlands, the plan is to expand this further in the future. Jerez has been added in 2008 and Donington may eventually be added as well.

Speaking to AM365 in an exclusive interview, four time Champ Car champion and now Toro Rosso racer, Sebastien Bourdais, revealed that the plan is for the predominately based American series to break into the Asian market in the future, an area currently being favored by FOM’s Bernie Ecclestone.

“The aspiration of Champ Car is to have 2 European rounds of 2 races, 4 races in Europe, that is sufficient enough," he explained. “It is necessary to go to China or Dubai and to be established in Japan and as a matter of fact there are projects for future expansion."

While F1 is commonly referred to as the pinnacle of Motorsports, there is one thing that Champ Car provides that Formula One does not, something that may end up securing them more fans in the long run, and that is how open the series is to everyone, while Formula One shrouds everything in secrecy….

“The fact that Champ Car has something very different to offer from F1 is a positive: it opens the paddock to the public and there is a true communion between drivers and fans. It attracts the public as a result whereas in F1 it is very difficult to access the drivers and the cars, and the secretiveness makes the envy grow. The two series have completely opposite ways of reaching the same goal."