AUGUST 2, 2005

A1 Team Netherlands signs Bleekemolen

Jeroen Bleekemolen has been signed as the reserve driver for A1 Team Netherlands, alongside Jos Verstappen.

Bleekemolen is the son of former Grand Prix driver Michael Bleekemolen, who raced in F1 in the 1970s with the ATS team. He hoped to extend his F1 career but ended up becoming a Formula 3 ace and finished second in the European series in 1979 to Alain Prost. After that Bleekemolen raced for many years in Renault one-make championships.

Jeroen started racing in karts when he was in his teens and moved to Formula Ford in 1998, winning the Dutch and Benelux Championships that year. In 1999 he did Formula Palmer Audi and in 2000 raced for Van Amersfoort Racing in the German F3 series. He ran out of money and so began racing GTs in 2001. He has also competed in the DTM.

At 23, the A1 drive gives him a second chance at an open-wheeler career.

The team will be run by another former F1 man Jan Lammers while Bleekemolen's career is being overseen by another name that is well-known in F1 circles, former Eurosport commentator Allard Kalff.