02/08/2005
NEWS STORY
A1 Team Netherlands has announced the Jeroen Bleekemolen will be its reserve driver in the forthcoming A1 GP Championship.
The official statement reads as follows:
With the signing of Jeroen Bleekemolen as its reserve-driver, A1 Team Netherlands has got a big racing talent in their squad. The intention is that Jeroen will have conducted a number of tests before the end of the year, to familiarize himself again with driving a fast Formula racing car.
Despite his relative young age, Jeroen Bleekemolen has made a name for himself in many national and international motorsport series. With the Dodge Viper he drove in the FIA GT Championship, with great success, competed in the very competitive German Formula 3 Championship and drove a number of times at the Masters of Formula 3 at Zandvoort, the unofficial F3 World Championship. Together with Opel he raced in the most prestigious Touring Car series in the world, the DTM. This season Bleekemolen is the man to beat in the Benelux Racing League.
Jeroen Bleekemolen: "For me this is of course an unique opportunity to give a new start in Formula racing cars a giant boost. And if I say so myself, I couldn't wish for a better teacher than Jos Verstappen. Together with my current Touring Car opportunities this will broaden my perspectives for the future."
A1 Netherlands Seat Holder Jan Lammers: "Especially the last few years, Jeroen has developed himself very much and is definitely an all round racing driver. He has performed well in the DTM facing team mates and competition like Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Jean Alesi and Christijan Albers. He is a very fresh, talented driver who absolutely deserves a chance in a prestigious Formula series like A1."
Allard Kalff, Bleekemolen's manager: "I know enough people from the A1 GP organisation to know that this series will have a very prosperous future. I am very happy that Jeroen's progression of the last few years has been noticed. The next step for me is think very hard about the possibilities that this will create for his future. Of course, we are very proud to have the opportunity of working with people like Verstappen and Lammers."