Mazzacane at Coyne

"I am very pleased with this opportunity to finally get back into a single-seater," said Mazzacane. "Since my departure from Formula 1, Champ Car has been my goal where all the cars are more equal."

Mazzacane has not raced in single-seaters since being dropped from the Prost team and replaced by Luciano Burti four races into the 2001 F1 season. But he impressed while testing for Sam Schmidt's dormant IRL team at Kentucky Speedway last September, before being called up by Dale Coyne Racing at Putnam Park and Road America in the last few weeks.

It is not clear whether former Penske driver Marques will return to the series later in the year. "First, I would like to thank Tarso Marques and restate that we believe in his abilities as a driver and hope that we can offer him opportunities in the years to come," said Coyne. "There are many circumstances surrounding this change of drivers.

"We are confident in the fact that Gaston, once he has some more miles and races under his belt, will be in a very competitive form as he has exhibited in the past."