11.10.2003 CHAMP CAR ROOKIE JOEL CAMATHIAS TO JOIN TEAM OLIVE GARDEN AT PETIT LE MANS
Gabriele Rafanelli has confirmed that he has selected an up-and-coming young CART driver Joël Camathias, to share the wheel of the Team Olive Garden Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS at next weekend's Petit Le Mans.
Like Team Olive Garden regulars, Mimmo Schiattarella and Emanuele Naspetti, Camathias began his career in national and international karting and progressed to a seat with Dale Coyne Racing in this season's CART Champ Car World Series. The 22-year old native of Lugano, Switzerland has seven CART races under his belt this year, making it into the top ten in the opening round at St. Petersburg.
Team Olive Garden boss Gabriele Rafanelli welcomed Joël to the team this way. "He's done an excellent job with the equipment he had in CART. To us it's important that he always finished better than he qualified and that he was mature and consistent. Those are the qualities that make for success in endurance racing. "
"Team Olive Garden is coming from a podium finish at Miami," replied Camathius. This will be my first American Le Mans Series start and I am under no illusion that it will be easy. The competition we face is formidable, but it is a long race and my team mates are strong, so I am fortunate to have been selected for the job."
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