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Ford signs Klenke and Jäger

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German drivers Thomas Klenke and Thomas Jäger have been selected by Ford Hotfiel Sport for driving the team’s two Ford Focus cars in their 2005 campaign in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

The final selection has been made after the team’s latest testing session in Silverstone last week, where Jäger and Marc Hennerici have been evaluated for joining Klenke.

“It wasn´t an easy decision,” team principal Hans Hotfiel explained. “Jäger will add an all-new quality to the team. He got out of the car and immediately started analyzing everything the car had done. He has a lot of experience further to his Formula 3 and DTM seasons. As for Klenke he has been with the team since long time, and has always been very quick and reliable, winning races and a championship for us.”

Klenke and Jäger seem to be a good mix. The former, 38-years old from Bad Pyrmont, claimed the 2002 Deutsche Tourenwagen Challenge title with a Hotfiel Sport Ford Focus, and also took part in two FIA European Touring Car Championship rounds: Oschersleben 2002 (the first outing ever for a Ford Focus in S2000 specs) and Valencia 2004 (replacing Roland Asch in a RS-Line Focus). Jäger, 27-year old from Chenmitz, used to be a race winner in the German Formula 3 (he was classified third in the 1999 championship) before moving to DTM, where he drove for AMG Mercedes from 2000 to 2003. His best result was seventh in the championship at the end of his rookie season.

“I am very sad for Michael Funke and Patrick Bernhardt, who also deserved to have a drive. However I hope to upgrade our team to three or even four cars through the course of the year,” Hotfiel added. “We have already planned to enter a third car from Puebla onwards, and Oschersleben, hour home race, is on 28th August, my birthday. Maybe I can make myself a birthday present by entering a fourth car there.”