Blundell Warns Herbert About CART Future

Former Formula One driver Mark Blundell has warned compatriot Johnny Herbert that his dream of moving from Formula One to the American ChampCars series next season may not be an option.

Herbert, who drove with Jaguar this year, retired from Formula One last month after 161 races and said he hoped to compete in Champ Cars next.

He has yet to announce firm plans.

Blundell, who competed in Formula One for Brabham, Ligier, Tyrrell and McLaren, has raced in the American series for the past five years but doubted 36-year-old Herbert would get a similar chance.

"I find it difficult to believe that Johnny Herbert will get a drive in Champ Cars unless he's got a huge budget or an engine deal strapped to his back," the 34-year-old Blundell wrote in a column for Britain's Motoring News weekly on Wednesday.

"I think he might be a little blase about the fact that concrete doesn't really hurt," he added.

"It's one thing to run between the concrete walls at 200 mph at Indianapolis on a road course but, when you are approaching them at an acute angle and 245mph, it is always going to be a whole different ball game," he said.

Formula One went back to the United States this year for the first time since 1991 with a Grand Prix at Indianapolis. The Formula One track used only the start-finish straight and first turn of the famous Oval circuit.