Franchitti set for RuSPORT seat

The Scot, whose contract with IRL frontrunners Andretti Green Racing expires at the end of the IndyCar season on September 10, had been one of the leading candidates for the ride which has been vacant since Cristiano da Matta crashed at a test in Road America on 8 August. But Franchitti hinted to an Autosport magazine source last week that the deal was not going to happen.

However, Robin Miller of Speed has heard that a deal is now all but signed for Franchitti to compete at Road America, Surfers Paradise and Mexico City. It would be the driver's first Champ Car races since departing for IndyCars along with Andretti Green Racing at the end of 2002.

Last weekend Jeremy Dale, president of RuSPORT told Autosport that the team would rather run a one-car team for Justin Wilson than run a second driver who might hamper Wilson's quest for the Champ Car title.

Following the Montreal race, where Justin crashed out and Sebastien Bourdais won, the Briton's championship chances have withered to near non-existence as he is now 62 points in arrears of the championship leader. Thus RuSPORT may well feel more free to experiment.

Dale has said in the past that whoever did sub for da Matta in 2006 would, in an ideal world, also be the driver who continued to fill in for the Brazilian until he was ready to return to the number 10 cockpit.

If Franchitti has indeed now signed for the team, then that would suggest it is RuSPORT's intention to run him in the 2007 championship, scotching rumours that he would drive for PKV Racing next year.

Given that RuSPORT are very protective of their technical information, they would not welcome the idea of Franchitti taking 'secrets' with him to a rival outfit. The Scot is regarded as technically astute: he would likely prove a major asset in the off-season testing of the new-for-2007 Panoz DP01.