Blundell's View: Detroit CART.

Although the Formula One circus is in town just across the water, American single-seater focus will fall on the Motor City this weekend.

The CART series arrives on Belle Isle, Detroit, with things as wide open as always, but also with the sneaking suspicion that a certain someone may be just about to get his act together big time.

Juan Montoya's recent form has seen him win back-to-back races at Indianapolis and Milwaukee, and it may be that this is all he needs to open the flood-gates as he did in '99. Another couple of wins, beginning with this weekend, could be the start of a run that will put him in contention for a second championship. He may be trailing at the moment, but we are only at race seven, and there's a long way still to go.

Detroit wasn't one of Juan's better circuits last year - he crashed out under yellow having already led more laps than anyone else - but, on current form, it may be difficult to stop him this time around. The beauty of CART, however, is that the field is so open, and there are so many contenders for the win this weekend.

I think the Rahal guys will be quick as always - both Kenny Brack and Max Papis come from a European background and will not be phased by the tight confines of the island's street. Penske is on a bit of a roll with Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves, Team Green is getting its form together (don't forget Dario Franchitti won here last year), and Adrian Fernandez is a force almost everywhere. The list goes on.....

Montoya's case will be strengthened, however, by the fact that Toyota seems to have cured the problems that ruined his early season races. It was tough on Jimmy Vasser to have come so close to taking that historic first win and then see Juan snatch it in Milwaukee, but both will be strong again this Sunday. Toyota has been working for a long time to get to this level, and everything is now paying off. If they keep winning, I'm sure there will be an even harder push to take the title.

Like Juan, I have mixed memories of racing in Detroit, although the event itself isn't a bad one. While I can't compare the CART race to the one that F1 used to hold in the city centre, the 1997 Champcar event could have been my first win in the States - all for a pint of gas!!

I'm quite glad that I never raced a grand prix here, as it looked like hell for a racing driver, but I'm happy to race on the new island circuit. It is still quite a tight layout, and is narrow in places, but the new section they added two years ago has at least opened up another passing place. Although there is a bit more greenery here than in the city, it is still basically a street rather than a road course, so qualifying will be important, and this is something that I have to improve.

One of the benefits of being on a street circuit, though, is that we know we won't have any rain delays. Nazareth and Milwaukee have both been postponed because of the weather this year and, while it's frustrating, it's a fact of life in racing over here. I have no control on the heavens, but there is definitely something to be said about street and road tracks - bolt on the wets and let's go!

The wet may be good for us this weekend. We haven't done that much testing on this sort of circuit, and I'm not sure how things are going to go if it stays dry. It is very frustrating working at trying to get a understanding and baseline on my car and engineer at present, and it is taking way too long to get it right. I have won in the wet before so, if the elements continue to go against us, let's see what happens. I hope things turn around soon.

We may not be in contention for a win just yet - I think that is Montoya's this weekend - but the rest is so open, you never know.....