Wirth Returns to Brooks Associates Racing
Thrilled to be making his return to the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda with Brooks Associates Racing for 2008, 23-year-old German driver Andreas Wirth has plenty to prove. Having endured a full season outside the cockpit in 2007, Wirth is more than a little eager to re-fire the engines and get back to his passion of racing… full-throttle!
Explaining his hiatus, Wirth said, "It was really disappointing not having a full-time ride in 2007 – especially after having finished third in the Champ Car Atlantic Series in 2006 – but that's just racing. Anyone that follows racing knows there have been a lot of issues in the open wheel series, and unfortunately that means more challenges for guys like me trying to climb the ladder. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not making any excuses. There were a lot of options for '07 – I had lots of opportunities – but sponsorship is always a factor."
While it may seem like Wirth disappeared from the racing scene entirely in 2007, that's far from the truth. He was excited to have tested in a number of series and was honored to be invited by the Champ Car World Series to break the lap record at Circuit Assen. Having worked hard in '07 to build a strong future in motorsport, Wirth is back in '08, ready to fight again for the title.
"It's really cool to be back with Brooks, it's very a cool team and the guys that I work with are awesome at what they do. It feels good to be racing for the longest-running team in the Atlantics too … I'm sure that can't hurt my odds this year either – that and the number on my car. And that's the eight eight car – not the eighty-eight car," commented Andreas. "Eight's my lucky number – it was on the car the first time I got a win in the Atlantics – and having the eight eight this year just means I'll be double lucky!"
Wirth is proud to introduce the 2008 livery of his 88 car with Brooks Associates Racing, featuring WIRSOL – Solar Energy and SUEBA USA – Development Company.