After missing the opening round of 2007, then filling in for the next two, before being confirmed for what he thought was the remainder of the season, Oriol Servia will begin 2008 with the team that offered him a lifeline for the final two races of last season.
The Catalan will rejoin PKV Racing to lead a two-car assault on the Champ Car World Series after contesting the Surfers Paradise and Mexico City races to secure sixth place in the 2007 standings, his provisional pole in Australia and comeback drive in Mexico enough to convince his former employer that he was worthy of a full-time return.
“We are very pleased to be able to come to an agreement with Oriol so quickly,” general manager Mark Johnson admitted, “He did an outstanding job for us the last two events of the 2007 season and is one of the top drivers in the Champ Car series. Given Oriol's proven talent, experience, familiarity with the team and having him on board this earlier in the pre-season will allow us to proceed with our off-season programme to the fullest as we pursue our goal of winning the championship.”
Servia last drove full-time for PKV in 2006, when he partnered rookie Katherine Legge, and will enter his ninth Champ Car season having placed in the top ten overall in four of the past five seasons.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to continue with PKV Racing," he said, "I want to thank Mr Kalkhoven, Jimmy Vasser and Mark Johnson for giving me this opportunity.
"I know the team and they know me. This will be only the second time in my whole career that I am able to race for a team that I have been with before. The only other time was with Dorricott Racing in 1999 and we won the championship. That is why I am so excited to start working and preparing for our goals this season. I feel that the relationship the team and I have established in the past will be very important as we compete for the championship in 2008.”
![Oriol Servia will lead PKV Racing's 2008 Champ Car line-up [pic credit: PKV Racing]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/401741.jpg)
