10/02/2009
NEWS STORY
MotoGP star Marco Melandri will be making his Speedcar Series debut at the Losail International Circuit this weekend (February 12-14).
The 2002 MotoGP (250 cc) World Champion will team up with Heinz Harald Frentzen driving for Team Lavaggi. The Italian biker will be racing a car on a permanent circuit for the first time, having appeared in a touring car race at the Bologna Motor Show in 2006.
Melandri may be new to car racing but he is familiar with the Losail International Circuit having ridden on the track in MotoGP. It will be of interest to see how his biking experience will help him in a Speedcar.
Fourteen drivers and seven teams will compete in Speedcar Series' first night race over the race weekend. The third leg of the season will also see 2 other new drivers, Qataris Ahamad Al Kuwari and Sheikh Fahad Al Thani join the fray.
The two local drivers will form the QMMF (Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation) team. Both drivers will have the advantage of having raced on the track before when competing in the Qatar National Road Racing Championship (QNRRCH).
The driver entry list Speedcar Series Season 2, Round 3 in Qatar is as follows:
Entry List
| No | Driver | Nat | Team |
| 96 | Jacques Villeneuve | CAN | Durango |
| 25 | Christopher Zoechling | AUT | Durango |
| 27 | Jean Alesi | FRA | HPR |
| 50 | Marchy Lee | CHN | HPR |
| 69 | Johnny Herbert | GB | JMB |
| 13 | Damien Pasini | FRA | JMB |
| 4 | Thomas Biagi | ITA | Palm Beach |
| 10 | Gianni Morbidelli | ITA | Palm Beach |
| 95 | Ahamad Al Kuwari | QAT | QMMF Team |
| 59 | Fahad Al Thani | QAT | QMMF Team |
| 80 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | GER | Team Lavaggi |
| 33 | Marco Melandri | ITA | Team Lavaggi |
| 85 | Hasher Al Maktoum | UAE | UP Team |
| 20 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | ITA | UP Team |