JUNE 27, 2002

Tomas Scheckter still wants F1

Tomas Scheckter says that he wants to get back into Formula 1.

TOMAS SCHECKTER, who used to be a test driver with Jaguar Racing until he lost his job because of an embarrassing curb-crawling conviction, says that he wants to get back into Formula 1. After the Jaguar debacle Scheckter found refuge in Formula Nissan in Spain and this year has been the sensation of the Indy Racing League, at the wheel of a Red Bull Team Cheever car. Team boss Eddie Cheever says that Scheckter is "a natural" which is not surprising given that Tomas is the son of 1979 Ferrari World Champion Jody Scheckter.

Although Scheckter has yet to win a race in IRL he has been quick all year, leading most of the Indianapolis 500 before crashing out and then getting into a dominant position in the Texas 500 before being sidelined by mechanical failure.

Still fairly wild, Scheckter is beginning to clam down thanks to the influence of veteran crew chief Owen Snyder, who runs the Cheever operation.

Scheckter says that he hopes success in IRL will lead to opportunities in F1. "If I do well here," he said, "it will open doors."