Photo: Opel media

Bleekemolen to make comeback

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Jeroen Bleekemolen will become the new team-mate of Vanina Ickx in the Audi customer team Futurecom TME. The 24-year old Dutchman replaces Olivier Tielemans who contested the first three rounds of the season. For Bleekemolen, this move represents his DTM comeback as he contested the 2003 and 2004 DTM seasons as Opel works driver.

Bleekemolen is going to race already in next weekend’s DTM round, held at Brands Hatch in Kent County, at the wheel of the 2004-spec Audi A4 DTM of Dr. Colin Kolles.

“I’m truly happy to have this opportunity to return to DTM,” said Bleekemolen who is going to fly to England this afternoon to prepare for the forthcoming DTM round. “Since having left DTM I was looking for a chance of making my comeback, as I think that DTM is the most attractive and best racing series there is.” Bleekemolen already knows the Brands Hatch circuit as he contested the British Formula Palmer Audi Series, in 1999, and also raced there in the 1998 Formula Ford Festival. Last year, Bleekemolen secured the Benelux-Racing-League championship title and was Jos Verstappen’s team-mate in the Dutch A1 Grand Prix team. This year, he contested endurance races for the Dutch sports car manufacturer Spyker, such as the Sebring 12-Hour Race and the Le Mans 24-Hour Race. Furthermore, he also raced in the Belgian Belcar GT Series.