NOVEMBER 9, 2007

Briscoe to join Penske

Australian Ryan Briscoe, the Toyota F1 test driver between 2002 and 2004 has finally landed a top drive in the Indy Racing League. The 27-year-old Australian has been in America since 2005 when his hopes of getting a Jordan F1 drive were dashed.

Australian Ryan Briscoe, the Toyota F1 test driver between 2002 and 2004 has finally landed a top drive in the Indy Racing League. The 27-year-old Australian has been in America since 2005 when his hopes of getting a Jordan F1 drive were dashed. He signed to drive for Target Chip Ganassi Racing but struggled to get used to the ovals and then suffered serious injuries in an enormous crash at Chicagoland Speedway. Ganassi then had the chance to hire IRL Champion Dand Wheldon and so dumped Briscoe who later did some races with the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and replaced the injured Cristiano da Matta in the Champ Car World Series. He then agreed a deal to race a Porsche LMP2 car in the American Le Mans Series for Penske and took part in the Indy 500 this year in a semi-factory Penske car. He finished fifth. Briscoe will now be promoted into the Penske team, as team-mate to Helio Castroneves, replacing Sam Hornish Jr who has decided to pursue his career with Penske in NASCAR.