DECEMBER 15, 2006

Super Aguri names Van der Garde

The Super Aguri team has announced that Dutchman Giedo van der Garde will be the team's reserve and test driver for the 2007 season. A member of the McLaren Young Driver Support Programme, the 21-year-old has been competing this year with the ASM team in the Formula 3 Euroseries.

Van der Garde, a protege of Jos Verstappen, has been racing since he was nine and had an impressive career in karting with the CRG company, culminating in victory in the Formula Super A World Championship in 2002. He switched to cars in 2003 and raced for Team Van Amersfoort in Formula Renault 2000 before moving to F3 in 2004, initially with the Signature team. He moved to Team Rosberg in 2005 and then to ASM this year. His results have been patchy with ninth in the championship in the two first seasons and sixth this year.

There is little doubt that Van der Garde is quick but he needs to develop a little more reserve to avoid getting into trouble. Honda, however, seems to believe that there is potential for the future.