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Klien steps in as second driver for Jaguar
Vienna, Dec 04: Austrian Christian Klien will be Jaguar`s second driver alongside Mark Webber in the 2004 F1 season, his management announced yesterday.
Vienna, Dec 04: Austrian Christian Klien will be Jaguar's second driver alongside Mark Webber in the 2004 F1 season, his management announced yesterday.
The 20-year-old, who impressed Jaguar with his performance at a test in Valencia last week, has signed a one-year deal with an option for two more seasons, Klien's agent Helmut Marko told Austrian state broadcaster Orf.
Klien, from the small town of Hohenems in Austria's westernmost Vorarlberg Province, has a crucial 15 million (US$18 million) in sponsorship money from energy drink Red Bull tycoon Dietrich Mateschitz.
In his first comment, Klien said, "I'm the world's happiest person," the Austria press agency cited his publicist Thomas Blazek as saying.
"When I first received the news that the contract with Jaguar racing is sealed, I could not believe it. But it's reality," he added.
Klien finished second in his rookie season in the Formula 3 Euroseries. He was called "The new hope of F1 racing" by Marko, who said "Christian might go a similar path like Kimi Raikkonen or Fernando Alonso".
Spaniard Alonso surprisingly won his first Grand Prix last season in a Renault and Finland's Raikkonen came a sensational runner-up in the world championship.
Marko, a team owner and agent who also managed Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya in his early career stages, is convinced that "Christian, who is fully focused and lightning quick, will give Jaguar a boost".
Bureau Report
The 20-year-old, who impressed Jaguar with his performance at a test in Valencia last week, has signed a one-year deal with an option for two more seasons, Klien's agent Helmut Marko told Austrian state broadcaster Orf.
Klien, from the small town of Hohenems in Austria's westernmost Vorarlberg Province, has a crucial 15 million (US$18 million) in sponsorship money from energy drink Red Bull tycoon Dietrich Mateschitz.
In his first comment, Klien said, "I'm the world's happiest person," the Austria press agency cited his publicist Thomas Blazek as saying.
"When I first received the news that the contract with Jaguar racing is sealed, I could not believe it. But it's reality," he added.
Klien finished second in his rookie season in the Formula 3 Euroseries. He was called "The new hope of F1 racing" by Marko, who said "Christian might go a similar path like Kimi Raikkonen or Fernando Alonso".
Spaniard Alonso surprisingly won his first Grand Prix last season in a Renault and Finland's Raikkonen came a sensational runner-up in the world championship.
Marko, a team owner and agent who also managed Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya in his early career stages, is convinced that "Christian, who is fully focused and lightning quick, will give Jaguar a boost".
Bureau Report