Friday, July 21 2006 15:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Paul Stoddart appears to be gearing up for crack at Champ Cars after bowing out of Formula One last season with the Minardi team.

The Australian billionaire has confirmed that intends to form a Champ Car team in time for the 2007 season, a prospect he described as 'very feasible'.

"Yes, the rumours do have some credibility but we are still in the very early stages," Stoddart told this week's Autosport magazine.

"However, what excites me is that Champ Car has moved almost entirely to street and road courses, and away from ovals, and has made itself into the most spectator-friendly top-level race series," he said.

Stoddart's Champ Car project will be backed by the Dutch Muerman's Group, a property developer and sponsors Red Bull test driver Robert Doornbos.

Stoddart said that Doornbos would be one of several drivers on the shortlist of candidates for a drive with his Champ Car outfit.

"Robert would be on it, as would any good quality driver with experience such as one who has driven for Minardi in F1,"he said.

"Bas Leinders is another, and Zsolt Baumgartner," he said.

"However, we don't need to decide on drivers yet; we need to sort out whether there is going to be a team and we need to have that done by October," he said.