The cult of Fernandez

In the past two years the Mexican public's adoration of Fernandez has exploded and as he stayed in the battle down to the wire for last year's championship Fernandez became as massive a draw in Mexico as basketball superstar Michael Jordan was in the USA a few years ago.

Fernandez's partner in his new Champ Car team is veteran team manager Tom Anderson who's been in the business for more than thirty years. Anderson has worked for most top CART teams and drivers over the years but says he's never seen anything quite like the pandemonium that Fernandez causes in Mexico.

At the formal launch of Fernandez Racing in Mexico City three weeks ago, five hundred media people crowded into the auditorium for the announcement and Mexican media experts say huge TV ratings (14.0, for those of you familiar with the system) are expected in Mexico for Sunday's race.

"It reminds me of back in the days of Mario and Emerson at their height," Anderson said. "I haven't seen anything like it since then. It's actually incredible. Women come up to him and touch him and cry!"

Fernandez says his new-found fame has taken a little adapting to.

"I think it doubled last year because of the championship," Fernandez said. "It's been more and more difficult to be outside in public. I was in Mexico City last week and it was hard just to move around. It's tough because there are a lot of distractions and with the new team, I have a lot of additional work to do. I understand the fans are very enthusiastic and they want to be with me, but I've got a job to do this weekend and it makes it very tough.

"There are so many people here, and many of them are my friends and I have to give them time, so it makes it very difficult. I knew it was going to be a difficult weekend, but it's an experience not to be forgotten so we are enjoying it and trying to savour it."

Although Friday's opening day at the new track in Monterrey saw delays because the new track was dirty and slippery, the track is wide and well-designed, with plenty of run-off area and first-class walls and fences. Many of the grandstands and suites were not completed by Friday as feverish work continued into the evening.

"The track is gorgeous," Fernandez said. "It's like being on a Grand Prix track. There are a lot of details to be finished, and there are no excuses for that, but the effort to get to this level has been tremendous and I am sure that every year it's going to get better. Remember that unlike many of the tracks we race on, this one was built specifically for CART. I believe it will soon become one of the best events of the year."

The big test comes on Saturday and Sunday as massive crowds invade Fundidora Park. Will the yet to be completed grandstands and surrounding infrastructure of pedestrian walkways, bridges and tunnels be up to job? As Fernandez tries to pull his new team together on the racetrack, the Monterrey organisers have plenty of work to do this weekend if the race is to become the great, enduring success story Fernandez believes will happen.