Pizzonia and Mendez to run Austrian outfit’s cars in official AutoGP test
Zele Racing will open its 2015 AutoGP campaign with the first official tests at the Autodromo Vallelunga, Italy, on March 2/3.
Colombian youngster Andres Mendez, who has already signed a deal with Zele Racing for the entire season, will be joined by “Jungle Boy” Antonio Pizzonia.
The ex-Jaguar F1 and BMW Williams ace gave a comeback in AutoGP at Zele finishing on the podium at the 2014 season closer in Estoril. The Brazilian had already won the 2012 AutoGP double header in Curitiba.
Following talks in December, he is now back in a Zele car.
“It’s great to have Antonio back on board. He is a great driver with a lot of experience. Since he will only arrive on Monday early morning, it will be shakedown laps for him on Day 1”, team boss Michael Zele said.
Whether Pizzonia starts in all races of which will be the Austrian team’s fourth successive season in the series has yet to be worked out.
Mendez, however, will already be in full gear on Monday, “because he needs as much track time in the car as he can get.”
The 22-year-old AutoGP rookie is “very excited to finally push this V8 550 HP powered car around the track. I am sure, I can also learn a lot from Antonio.”
The 2015 AutoGP season opens with the Morocco event in Marrakesh on April 19, where Zele Racing earned the first of a series of podium finishes last season.
