Series boss hails return to Europe

Addressing the European motorsport media in London at the start of a four-day promotional tour, Johnson declared: "I didn't think we were a world series when I took up this position in 2005. With the addition of Europe and China in 2007, I believe we are.

"It's good to be here interacting with the most knowledgeable open-wheel media in the world. I think it's fair to say that Champ Car has come home, in a lot of ways, because this series has a lot of European drivers and in terms of victories over the last few years, it has been dominated by European drivers."

Bart Rietbergen, promoter of the races at Zolder (26 August) and Assen (02 September) told autosport.com that there was "tremendous excitement in Holland that Champ Car is coming.

"It is 22 years since we had a Formula One race in our country, and yet open wheel racing is immensely popular there. We have so many young drivers in open-wheel, and they are front-runners in every category."

Rietbergen went on to say that Robert Doornbos' success in Champ Car in the opening three rounds has stirred huge interest in Holland.

"I think he is already proving bigger than Jos [Verstappen]. Robert has been extremely popular ever since his Formula One Friday driving at Grands Prix and then competing in some races too.

"As a result he is getting Champ Car good coverage, and he is doing so well, the Dutch press is all over him. I told him it was bad that he got second in his first race, and then third in his third race. Now everyone's expecting him to be able to win."