Following a superb drive in the Castrol Edge Townsville 400 on Sunday when he stole a great second on the line in his #22 Holden Racing Team Commodore, James Courtney dropped a bombshell saying he is considering leaving the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship to race overseas in 2017.
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Courtney is off contract at season's end, and racing overseas wouldn't be anything new for him. He won the world junior karting title at Portugal in 1995, and two years later won the Formula A title in France. He won the then prestigious 2000 British Formula Ford Championship, and then the following season saw him chosen as a test driver for the Jaguar F1 team.
But a F1 test at Monza, it all came undone when he has a huge accident in the Jaguar.
Courtney explained on his website jamescourtney.com.au ; "I had a rear suspension failure and I hit a barrier at 325km/h. Bits exploded and pieces went everywhere. Thankfully they weren’t bits of me.
He said he remembered the whole wheel assembly ripping off and thinking “this isn’t good”..
Unfortunately he suffered head injuries, with a lot of brain trauma and swelling, which saw him forced to miss the Rockingham round of the BF3 championship in July, which subsequently cost him the championship, as he dropped to second.
By his own admission it also cost him a Formula 1 seat, so he then followed a completely new career path, moving to Japan.
After three seasons with SBR he joined Dick Johnson Racing, and in his second season with the iconic Queensland team and won the 2010 Australian Supercar Championship.
Courtney told news agency AAP he is considering several options for his future, including leaving the Australian championship to race overseas.
“Just weighing it up, it’s a big move for the family,” Courtney said.
Courtney also said whether or not Holden will be sponsoring the HRT again will play a big role in his future.
With Scott McLaughlin confirmed to replace Scott Pye at DJR Team Penske in 2007, it has started silly season with a bang. If Courtney remains in Australia the #33 Volvo seat at Garry Rogers Motorsport seat will be one possibility for Courtney if there is nothing at the HRT for him, but development Series driver Garry Golding is tipped for that drive.
Garth Tanders contract at the HRT is also up at season's end, but it is rumoured he will be allowed to go, and possibly replace Jason Bright at Brad Jones Racing, while Tanders seat at the HRT will almost certainly go to Nick Percat.