Former BAR Formula 1 team Co-Founder/Race Operations Director and former partner of Reynard, Rick Gorne has confirmed that he has signed up Malaysia's first Formula 1 driver, Alex Yoong, to his management company "Goman" in a long-term contract with immediate effect.

"I have been keeping track with Yoong's progress in the last few years and although he had struggled in the middle of his first full F1 season, he had shown what he is capable of towards the end of the season. I strongly believe Yoong has the potential to succeed in Formula 1." said Gorne.

"We are looking at various options for 2003 and beyond," he added. "It is possible that he may stay on in Formula 1 either as a test driver with Minardi or another team or even maybe in a full race seat with either Minardi or another team. But Championship Auto Racing Teams Series (C.A.R.T.) or the Indy Racing League Series (IRL) in the United States is also a very viable option, especially as the budget required is much lower when compared with Formula 1."

Minardi has an option on Yoong, which the team must exercise before the end of November. As the KL Minardi Asiatech team boss, Paul Stoddart had already said that Yoong would only get a test role with the team next year, Yoong had been actively exploring other options. This association with Gorne will no doubt hasten an earlier decision on what Yoong maybe doing next season.

Yoong who is pleased with the new development said, "I am very happy to be managed by Rick as his experience in Formula 1 as well as his influence in the States would come in very handy to ensure I get my best shots in my race career."

Following a successful raqcing career, Gorne joined Reynard in 1982 and drove the company forward in a visionary and forward-thinking fashion as Managing Director. In 1997, Gorne co-founded British American Racing together with Craig Pollock, Adrian Reynard and BAT.

As race operations director Gorne was responsible for the running of the race and test team operations during the critical first season of racing in 1999. As the organization developed during 2000 Gorne took on the role of Motorsport Development Director, developing the British American Racing business for the future. Having personally achieved all he could within the BAR organization Gorne left in 2001 to develop his Goman Sports Representation business.

He has successfully guided the careers of Gil de Ferran, Alex Zanardi and Max Papis.

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