The heat is on...

Mexico City, Mexico (November 9, 2007) – The final race weekend of the 2007 Champ Car World Series season is now under way, and it is an extremely important one for Minardi Team USA, as drivers Robert Doornbos and ‘Speedy’ Dan Clarke stand to improve their positions in the final points standings. With the right results in Sunday afternoon’s Tecate Grand Prix of Mexico, Robert could add second place in the Championship to the “Rookie of the Year” title he locked up at the Australian Grand Prix three weeks ago.

As has been the case virtually all year, the circuit at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is new to Robert. He therefore used today’s practice sessions to familiarize himself with the track, and although he set a good qualifying pace, it wasn’t quite as good as he would have liked. Sticking with the black sidewall Bridgestone Potenzas, he was quick in the first half of the afternoon qualifying session, but then didn’t improve as much his rivals when many of them put on new red ‘Option’ tires for their final runs. He sits 12th on the grid after today’s qualification.

ROBERT DOORNBOS: “It’s obviously not where we wanted to be after the first day, but it is still early in the weekend. We’re actually closer than it looks, since the times are very tight, but we need to improve, and therefore have some homework to do tonight. We saved our red tires to use tomorrow, and as we know there is a lot to be gained with them, hopefully we can move up the grid.”

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