FEBRUARY 11, 2004

Turk moves into Formula 3000

Turkish driver Can Artam has signed to drive for the Coloni Motorsport Formula 3000 team in 2004. The 22-year-old from Istanbul has been competing this winter in the US Formula Renault Winter Series but has raced in a variety of different formula in the course of the past three years.

Turkish driver Can Artam has signed to drive for the Coloni Motorsport Formula 3000 team in 2004. The 22-year-old from Istanbul has been competing this winter in the US Formula Renault Winter Series but has raced in a variety of different formula in the course of the past three years. After attending the Silverstone racing school, Artam raced in the Turkish F3 championship. He then went to America to study for a degree in international business in Florida and attended the Skip Barber Racing School. He raced regularly in the US in 2001 and 2002 but also returned home to win rounds of the Turkish F3 series. Last year he raced in a variety of formulae, including British Formula 3 and the Formula Renault V6 series. His career is being overseen by the London-based agency Steam Sports Marketing, which features former F1 marketing man Cameron Kelleher on its books. The company is run by Turk Ali Gursoy.

Artam is going to use 2004 as a learning year and hopes to be well-prepared for the GP2 series in 2005.

"My ultimate aim," he says, "is to become the first Turkish driver to race on my hometown Formula 1 track!"