Speculation is mounting that Dario Franchitti will make a shock return to the Champ Car World Series, perhaps as early as next season.
The Scot, who switched to the rival IRL series with his Honda-powered Andretti-Green team, is rumoured to be disappointed by the failure of Honda to offer him an F1 test. When Franchitti swapped CART for the IRL it was amid claims he had been promised a test with the BAR Honda squad as part of his deal. Franchitti is also rumoured to have raised concerns over the increased dangers associated with racing in the IRL
Several major accidents have injured IRL racers in the past and this season alone Gil de Ferran, Scot Dixon, Tony Kannan and Felippe Giafonne have been hurt in crashes, their injuries ranging from broken wrists to serious spinal injuries and concussions. Observers believe the design of the IRL gearbox and transmission, coupled with an all-oval season are some of the main reasons behind the high number of racing injuries.
Franchitti, no stranger to racing injuries after breaking his pelvis prior to the 2000 Champ Car season, is recuperating from a motorbike accident that has put him out of the 2003 season giving him scope for a quick switch back to Champ Cars in 2004. Any return by the 1999 CART runner-up would be a major boost to the Champ Car series as it seeks to re-establish itself.
Franchitti was a top driver in the series with an excellent media profile, and his return would undoubtedly re-ignite interest in the Champ Car series amongst sponsors, race fans and the media.
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