JANUARY 18, 2005

Enge confirmed at Panther

Former F1 driver Tomas Enge has been confirmed as Tomas Scheckter's team mate with the Panther Indy Racing League team. The 28-year-old Czech driver raced in Formula 3000 last year before running a couple of races with Patrick Racing. Enge's hope of a Formula 1 drive have been thwarted since he tested positive in a drugs test in Hungary in 2002. The result of that test was that he was deprived of the Formula 3000 title that year (which went to Sebastien Bourdais instead) and Enge has been trying to rebuild his career ever since.

There is no doubt that Enge is quick and is likely to make a good impression in the United States.

The news means that Townsend Bell will have to look elsewhere for work in 2005.