JANUARY 13, 2006

Another Red Bull youngster moves up

Germany's Michael Ammermueller is to move up to GP2 in 2006 with the Arden team. He will join Nicolas Lapierre at Arden International, replacing Heikki Kovalainen, who has moved up to become the Renault F1 test driver. Ammermueller comes to GP2 directly from the Formula Renault Eurocup, a major leap for a young driver. The Red Bull Junior Team driver seemed to be on his way to the Eurocup title last year with six race victories but lost out at the last race to Japan's Kamui Kobayashi, a Toyota protege in the showdown at Monza. Ammermueller went into the event two points ahead of Kobayashi but started behind him on the grid. Kobayashi took the lead and soon afterwards the two cars collided. With nothing to gain from an accident Kobayashi was keen to keep going and fortunately was able to do so and finished the event third, winning the title, while Ammermueller retired with accident damage.