Perera testing for Forsythe/Pettit Racing

Franck Perera

Champ Car Atlantic Championship Rookie of the Year Franck Perera has been selected by the newly combined Forsythe/Pettit Racing to test its Champ Car at MSR in Houston today and Friday.

"We are happy to give Franck the opportunity to drive the Champ Car. It gives us a chance to evaluate him and at the same time help the team with some testing items," said Neil Micklewright, V.P Forsythe/Pettit.

"With Toyota F-1 I did a lot of shakedown and some official testing and I am excited to work with Forsythe/Pettit for their testing this week and get time to know the car and present myself to the team and the series for a Champ Car drive next season," said Franck Perera.

Last season Perera demonstrated his skills as one of the most talented drivers in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship – impressively completing all laps without a single crash on his way to racking up an impressive three wins, eight podiums, two pole positions, and one best lap. All this after joining the series with only two days of preseason testing at Laguna Seca where he turned the fastest laps in all sessions in addition to setting a track record. His inaugural season also included becoming the first Champ Car Atlantic driver in 11 years to finish all races in the top five and the first non-North American to win the Toronto Grand Prix in 17 years.

"Since the Atlantic season ended, Franck has been approached by teams in several series about next season, including the IRL and GP2. But Franck hasn't hidden the fact all season that he would prefer a Champ Car ride. In fact, he came close to driving in Australia and Mexico for Conquest Racing, but the schedule just didn’t allow any time to do proper testing before the races," said manager Charles Barrett of CJMotorsport.co.uk.

Perera’s career highlights include being one of the first two drivers signed in 2001 to the Toyota F-1 Young Driver Program alongside Ryan Briscoe who is now in the IRL. Perera’s impressive career began in karting and includes several titles: World Karting Formula A Champion in 1999 and Vice-Champion in 2000, Karting Junior French Champion and Karting Junior European Champion in 1998, Karting Cadet Junior French Champion in 1997, and Mini Kart French Champion in 1996. Other career highlights include a second place finish in GP2 in Monaco in 2006, F3 Euro Series Rookie of the Year with a fifth place finish Macau in 2004, and Italian Formula Renault 2.0 Champion in 2003. FPR PR