Autoblog

Gil de Ferran hasn't had quite enough of winning just yet. The accomplished former racing driver and team manager announced today that he's coming out of retirement to contest the American Le Mans Series. With Team Penske, de Ferran won back-to-back CART titles in 2000 and 2001, the Indy 500 in 2003 and set the record for the fastest qualifying lap on a closed circuit with a 241.43mph average speed at the California Speedway in 2001. Having retired at the end of 2003, Gil served as sporting director for Honda's F1 team from 2005 until this past season.

To contest the ALMS this season, de Ferran will be driving for his own team in a fourth factory-backed LMP2-class Acura ARX-01b. Although he hasn't yet announced his second driver, he has signed on John Anderson, a veteran crew chief, as general manager.

[Source: gildeferran.com and Autosport, Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty]

Looks like Honda Racing was pretty impressed with Marco, too. Marco Andretti, the teenage son of former CART champ and one-time F1 pilota Michael, and grandson of former F1 and CART campione, Mario, will be back in the saddle of the Honda RA 106 for a couple of days. Marco had a brief run at Jerez back in December that apparently went well enough for Honda to invite him back for more. Sporting director (and former CART champion himself) Gil de Ferran said that because the RA 106 was still available this week in Jerez, they would love to have the youngest racing Andretti take a few more laps. The IndyCar (IRL) Series 'Rookie of the Year' will be on track in Jerez on 2/7 and 2/8 while Jenson Button and Christian Klien continue to work on the new RA107 chassis.

After an impressive, if somewhat heartbreaking, second place finish in last year's Indy 500, the 19-yr-old Andretti has been seen as a highly visible talent who could potentially draw American fans into Formula 1. While his first test in the Honda RA 106 went well, Marco admitted it was too short to reach any conclusions: "I felt that I did a good job in December but on the first day you spend more time getting used to the car and familiarizing yourself with the circuit," he said. "When I get in the car this time, I am sure I will be able to hit the ground running. I'm looking forward to it."

[Sources: Paddock Talk and Guardian Unlimited]