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RSC Anderlecht launch Superleague Formula entry |
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007 |
Belgian
club RSC Anderlecht scored a first for the new Superleague Formula
championship today - the reigning Belgian champs not only
unveiled their car for the first time but also revealed the identity
of its race team that will represent them.
Anderlecht has joined forces with fellow Belgian squad Team Astromega
to launch a home-grown assault on the Superleague Formula crown.
Run by ex-driver Mikke Van Hool, Team Astromega has provided some
of the stars of today a chance to show their skills on the world
stage and gain a place on the Formula 1 grid - notably, two-time
Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso, former Jaguar driver and
now Champ Car World Series ace Justin Wilson and ex-Jordan driver
Giorgio Pantano.
It has been a busy week for Van Hool, he arrived back in Belgium
on Tuesday after attending the launch of Brazilian club Flamengo
- the other football team his squad will represent in 2008.
Each race team will run two separate football club entries -
10 teams representing the 20 football clubs.
Anderlecht's purple and silver colours were revealed today
at Constant Vander Stock stadium in Brussels by club manager, Herman
Van Holsbeeck; captain Olivier Deschacht, and stars players including
forward Nicolas Frutos, midfielder Lucas Biglia and goalkeeper Daniel
Zitka.
While the media had their chance today, the local fans will get
their opportunity this Friday when the car is presented prior to
Anderlecht's match against Standard de Liège.
"We are all excited about the idea and after a long period
of preparation, we have now started the countdown to the first race,"
RSC Anderlecht General Manager, Herman van Holsbeeck said.
"The unveiling of the Anderlecht car in our stadium to the
Belgian press, our sponsors and our fans is a momentous occasion
for our club."
Apart from joining the Superleague Formula championship, the famous
Belgian club has another reason to celebrate in 2008.
"2008 will be a very special year for RSC Anderlecht,"
said President, Roger Vanden Stock.
"We will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the club and we
will kick off our entry in Superleague Formula - we are ambitious
in everything we do. The Anderlecht car will be a worthy representative
for the Anderlecht fans and the Belgian public."
Team Astromega's Van Hool is eagerly awaiting the opportunity
to expand his operation into the Superleague Formula championship.
"I have been very excited about the Superleague Formula concept
right from the start and I actually had my first meeting with Robin
and Alex nearly two years ago," Van Hool said.
"When we were asked what clubs we would prefer to work with
it was only natural that we would enquire about Anderlecht. Astromega
is a Belgian race team and we would be thrilled to run a Belgian
football club.
"The Superleague Formula car is going to be tremendously quick.
Good horsepower, loads of downforce - it is going to take
a driver with a lot of experience and skill in either GP2 or Champ
Car to get the most out of this car.
"While we woud love to have a Belgian driver, we will be looking
for the best man for the job, whatever his nationality.
"But it is not just the driver aspect, Astromega will be looking
to attract the best engineering talent we can to ensure we get the
utmost from the Superleague Formula car - we have to -
there will be a lot of pressure to perform from the Anderlecht fans
and we want to deliver for them."
The Belgian launch follows last weekend's unveiling in Brazil
of the first South American club, Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro. Following
on from Anderlecht, Swiss club FC Basel will take its turn in unveiling
the club's Superleague Formula colours.
The championship also recently welcomed the announcement of Turkish
club Galatasary SK as an entry into the series and released details
of the inaugural 2008 calendar.
Next year, RSC Anderlecht will join the other clubs doing battle
on track at Donington Park (UK), August 29/30; Nurburgring (Germany),
September 20/21; Zolder (Belgium), October 4/5; Italy - location
TBA, October 18/19; Estoril (Portugal), November 1/2; and Jerez
(Spain), November 22/23.
* subject to FIA confirmation.
"We are at a very exciting phase in the development of the
Superleague Formula championship," President and CEO Alex
Andreu said.
"Our calendar announcement, three launches in three weeks,
the appointment of our first race team, new clubs joining the championship,
a host of staff appointments, plus we have opened our new expanded
office in Barcelona - the momentum is growing at a dramatic
rate.
"Anderlecht will be a very important club for Superleague
Formula. With a race on our calendar at Zolder less than 100km away
from the club's home ground, we are expecting to see a sea
of purple and silver fans when the championship comes to Belgium.
"We are looking forward to giving the fans a taste of what
to expect on Friday - but when their car is on track with
20 of the other leading clubs from around the world - they
will really have something to cheer for."
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