Sport

Devaney signs with Rosberg

MOTOR SPORT: Michael Devaney, Motorsport Ireland Young Racing Driver of The Year for the last two seasons, has signed a contract…

By Brian Foley
Fri Jan 10 2003 - 00:00

MOTOR SPORT: Michael Devaney, Motorsport Ireland Young Racing Driver of The Year for the last two seasons, has signed a contract with Team Rosberg to contest this year's German Formula BMW Championship.

The 18-year-old Dublin driver finished fifth in last year's championship, which was won by Nico Rosberg, son of 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg. Rosberg senior's team-mate in his championship year with Williams-Ford was Dubliner Derek Daly.

In recent years Rosberg has managed fellow Finn Mika Hakkinen, twice world champion, and Frenchman Olivier Panis, as well as setting up Team Rosberg to run outfits in Formula BMW, Formula Three and DTM Championship.

Commenting on his new signing, Rosberg said: "Michael was extremely competitive last season and he has the potential to win the championship in 2003."

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"Team Rosberg run one of the best teams in Europe and I am really excited about the forthcoming season. The chance to work with Keke is fantastic as he obviously knows about winning championships and also how to help drivers reach the pinnacle of the sport," said Devaney.

The Formula BMW Championship will be run over 10 double-header meetings on circuits such as Nurburgring and Hockenheim in Germany. Devaney will get to perform before the Formula One teams when the series supports the European Grand Prix at Nurburgring in June. He starts testing with Team Rosberg in Italy on February 21st.

One of the highlights of the 2003 Mondello Park racing season will be the double rounds of the British Superbike Championship on July 18th-20th, featuring reigning champion Steve Hislop (Yamaha), 2001 champion John Reynolds (Suzuki), Steve Plater (Honda) and Ducati riders Sean Emmett, Michael Rutter and Shane Byrne.

National rallycross meetings are scheduled for Mondello on February 9th and March 2nd. Irish experts Dermot Carnegie, John McCluskey, Helmut Holfeld and Laurence Gibson will challenge the British competitors in a round of the revamped British Rallycross Championship at Mondello on March 30th. The Tipperary LC & MCC has cancelled Sunday's autocross due to waterlogging.