Hyl - New Year, New Drivers, New Focus

RaceTime · 17 Feb 2004, 04:05 (Ref:876510)

The Holden Young Lions are please to announce Michael Caruso and Kurt Wimmer as their new driver Line-Up for the 2004 Konica Minolta series. The team is proud of the tradition of allowing new young drivers the opportunity to come and show their wares to the world. Michael is 20 and hails from the Northern Beaches of Sydney and Kurt is just 19 from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

Michael will drive the lead #46 and comes fresh from his win in the 2003 Australian Formula 3 Championship and testing F3000 in Europe over the summer. Having completed just a handful of laps in a V8 Supercar at a Winton test day last week, Michael is aware that there is a steep learning curve ahead of him but relishing the opportunity.

“Coming from open wheelers to the vee-eights is going to require some adjustments and a few more laps to get the best out of both me and the car, but I think we can give the championship a good shake in the end.”

Joining Michael and driving car #96 is 2001 Queensland FF Champion Kurt Wimmer. Kurt ran in the National FF championship last year and is also a newcomer to the big Supercars.

“It was awesome just getting behind the wheel on the test day, I can’t wait to get some more tracktime at Wakefield and start racing these things. Having come straight from the Van Dieman, the Young Lions Commodore is something else to drive, it will be great.”

The team has also undergone some changes in the off season and has moved it’s base back to Victoria but is still run under the watchful eye of evergreen racer John Faulkner. John was overwhelmed with the interest in the team and feels that this could be a watershed year for the Holden Young Lions.

“We have two young racers with a desire to learn and a commitment to work. Together with a few internal changes I think this could be a great year.”

smithers · 17 Feb 2004, 04:06 (Ref:876511)

So where to now for Whincup?

Chucky · 17 Feb 2004, 04:09 (Ref:876513)

Looks like Matthias Lauda beat Caruso to that drive with Coloni.

00 XR8 · 17 Feb 2004, 04:13 (Ref:876514)

Bugger. I was really hoping that Caruso would get that Coloni ride. I have been kind of following Caruso since he won the Ford Kartstars comp and now to see him in a factory Holden is sad

Good luck to him but I do hope he gets hammered by Mr Jones and Mr Tilley in Konicas

Also a Believer · 17 Feb 2004, 04:38 (Ref:876518)

I think these two drivers will do very well, the team this year has chosen drivers that would seem to fit the origional concept.1 young and largly inexperienced and the other has won a major series on talent. A great mix and congratulations to Ross and the selction committee.

thirty4 · 17 Feb 2004, 05:45 (Ref:876540)

Will car #46 be that ol Faulkner clunker they used last year? Surly there would be some spare ex HRT VX's around.

PEPSI · 17 Feb 2004, 05:46 (Ref:876541)

I do hope Michael goes well with HYL. I tried to help him in his first year of FF and always found him to be extremely mature and media savvy but his transition from karts was being hindered somewhat by the lack of support (I know Ford were stumping up the money) particularly from Mike Borland. I am sure there are ways in which Caruso could have done things differently (if he was given more support and guidance) but his lack of success that year certainly wasn't for a lack of natural talent as has been prove before and since. His acheivements in F3 were of great significance considering the small budget available with most of the money coming from his family.

overflow · 17 Feb 2004, 08:15 (Ref:876621)

Sadly another genuine open wheeler talent having to revert to V8s....there must be another way these guys get to show their skills overseas....like the Brazilian , Italian & German drivers..

**GTRMagic** · 17 Feb 2004, 08:46 (Ref:876651)

There is no suggestion that the open wheeler dream is dead... think about it, if Holden is interested in Caruso, and he does well in the Konica series, there is no reason not to be able to parlay that into something like a DTM test, or a run in an Opel powered F3 in Germany....

Pure speculation, but dont think for a heartbeat that a Konica ride is a dead end!

105octane · 17 Feb 2004, 08:55 (Ref:876658)

Quote:

Originally posted by Chucky
Looks like Matthias Lauda beat Caruso to that drive with Coloni.

What a bummer, Caruso would be twice the driver of Matthias Lauda. The sorfs win again. The son of an ex F1 driver would of also of been a draw card to Coloni.

pete55 · 17 Feb 2004, 08:58 (Ref:876661)

If we had a strong F3 series like the British Series or European Series or even the Japanese series with drivers coming from all over the world to further their career we would have locals wanting to be part of the action. If the locals could beat these overseas hopefuls it would be a feather in their cap.

Also a Believer · 17 Feb 2004, 10:12 (Ref:876708)

F3 should be on the avesco series calander instead of FF in my opinion.

pete55 · 17 Feb 2004, 10:19 (Ref:876711)

I'm not sure TC would do F3 a lot of good if he got his hands on it.

Also a Believer · 17 Feb 2004, 10:24 (Ref:876715)

I was more interested in the exposure that might come from it, until now everyone has said that FF is where we should pick our drivers for the next generation (and by the way I am gratful this year that a certain team did that) but from watching the f3 drivers seem to be the next level.

pete55 · 17 Feb 2004, 10:28 (Ref:876723)

I agree that F3 needs more promotion and some new ideas, and Ross Palmer agrees. Hopefully he and the F3 Association can come up with something.

Kixx · 17 Feb 2004, 10:30 (Ref:876726)

Any photos of the HYL car for this year? I heard something bout a new livery but haven't seen it yet

**GTRMagic** · 17 Feb 2004, 10:35 (Ref:876733)

There is a pic on the Supercar site

HoLdEn YoUnG lIoNs

Also a Believer · 17 Feb 2004, 10:38 (Ref:876742)

and a step back two years in livery it is. Looks smart and easier on the eye than last.

Mattracer · 17 Feb 2004, 10:43 (Ref:876751)

Quote:

Originally posted by overflow
Sadly another genuine open wheeler talent having to revert to V8s....there must be another way these guys get to show their skills overseas....like the Brazilian , Italian & German drivers..

Agreed. Another driver parked in the siding that is V8s, great series though it is. Half the current grid wanted to drive open wheelers OS but at least they're still driving.

RaceTime · 17 Feb 2004, 10:45 (Ref:876753)

GTR - I received that pic and thought it had been sent out by mistake (after all, who sends out media releases with someone sticking their head through the window? The other photo provided was too much of a close up - showed a team member with back to camera, driver inside the car (can't see him) a helmet onthe roof and another team member on passenger side - again - wasn't worth posting to be honest.

Mattracer · 17 Feb 2004, 10:46 (Ref:876757)

The FF and F3 show would be great to see on the card, only problem is that they are "purist" classes that don't appeal to the majority of the great unwashed.

**GTRMagic** · 17 Feb 2004, 10:47 (Ref:876759)

There dont look to be enough stickers on the car at the moment anyway, with trade sponsors and the like seemingly missing from the vee-hickle..

Also a Believer · 17 Feb 2004, 10:48 (Ref:876761)

We know who the trade sponsors are though dont we.

**GTRMagic** · 17 Feb 2004, 10:50 (Ref:876764)

We dont know who the trade sponsors are for PWR, so I wouldnt begin to presume them for HYL!

Also a Believer · 17 Feb 2004, 10:52 (Ref:876767)

Well I am guessing wimmers soft drinks will end up on there somewhere.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Top 10 Drivers So Far This Year?	BootsOntheSide	Formula One	28	13 May 2004 20:51
Drivers of the Year	TSR	Formula One	2	16 Oct 2003 05:51
Drivers next year?	The Darkness	Touring Car Racing	30	22 Sep 2003 17:03
Drivers you'll miss this year.	Adam43	Sportscar & GT Racing	19	10 Jun 2003 18:36
Are there new drivers next year	renaultbel	Formula One	8	29 Jun 2001 06:04