APRIL 17, 2004

Wheldon wins in Japan

British rising star - and F1 aspirant - Dan Wheldon won his first Indy Racing League victory on Saturday at Motegi in Japan. He becomes the first British driver to win an IRL race.

Wheldon, who battled in Formula Ford with Jenson Button, went to America because he could not afford to go further up the racing ladder in Europe and having reached IRL became the rookie of the year in 2003, driving for the Andretti Green Racing team. His team mate Tony Kanaan followed him home and the pair now lead the IRL points standings with Wheldon ahead by six points as the IRL fraternity turns its attention to the Indianapolis 500 and to the switch to 3-litre engines.