JULY 23, 2002

Andretti starts his own team

MARIO ANDRETTI says he wants to start his own racing team and now his son Michael is following suit. But there is a difference: Michael looks like going into the Indy Racing League while Mario wants too stay with rival series CART. Team Motorola owner Barry Green confirmed on Tuesday that he is going to sell the operation to Andretti and his brother Kim, who runs it for Michael. Andretti will be the majority shareholder and chief executive, with Barry Green remaining as a consultant and minority partner. The new team will be called Andretti Green Racing.

Andretti has made it clear that his aim in racing now is to win the Indianapolis 500, an event he has so far failed to win in the course of his otherwise distinguished career.

The loss of Michael Andretti would deprive the series of its most famous driver and the possibility of Cristiano da Matta, the series leader, heading off to F1 is a further worry for those running CART.

Team Green will probably continue to run three cars in CART next year with BAR's test driver Anthony Davidson the likely third driver.