Jourdain to make A1GP debut

Jourdain Jr currently races for SEAT in the World Touring Car Championship.

"I am glad and grateful to Julio, Juan and Jose Ramon from A1 Team Mexico because they invited me to participate with them in the A1GP series, besides that they are very good friends of mine," he said.

"It is a good opportunity to represent Mexico and from what I have seen about A1GP Series, it is a series that has been growing and it is doing very well. In addition, the people who know me, they know that I like to drive any type of cars."

The Mexican's A1GP debut will be his first single-seater start since he left Champ Car following the 2004 season. Jourdain Jr then attempted to switch to stock cars, contesting the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series and a handful of truck races, before joining the WTCC this year.

"It has been a long time that I don't drive a formula (car), but I expect that I can adapt quickly to the car," he said.

"I want to thank the SEAT people who allowed me to participate here. I already know the track. I've raced at Brno almost four months ago.

"It is a very quick circuit, very wide. I don't understand why Formula One has never been there. The facility is amazing and in that A1 car is going to be a lot of fun."

The team's executive vice-president Julio Jauregui said Jourdain Jr's single-seater experience and circuit knowledge had convinced them to choose him for the Czech races.

"He has the experience in formulas gained in the Champ Car World Series and the fact that he knows the track at Brno - where he already raced in mid-June - gives us an advantage," he said.

The Team Mexico car took a pair of fourth places in the A1GP season opener at Zandvoort with regular driver Salvador Duran.

"We will have eighty percent of the same personnel that worked with us at Zandvoort and we will also have the same engineer," Jauregui added.

"Therefore, from the technical point of view, Michel can be confident that he will have a good car.

"In addition, we've also got him to participate in the rookie sessions and I think that this will help him to get to know the car quickly. We hope to achieve good results step by step."