Fernandez Racing expecting championship tussle.

After a mixed year in the Indy Racing League in 2005, Fernandez Racing are hoping that the decision to run two different chassis for their drivers will pay dividends, as they bid to take the title fight to Andretti Green Racing and Chip Ganassi this season.

While Scott Sharp is piloting a Honda-powered Panoz in the Delphi-sponsored Panoz, Kosuke Matsuura will line-up in the Super Aguri Fernandez Dallara-Honda, in a bid to give the team a competitive edge on all fronts.

Despite the change, Sharp expects the competition to be tougher this season. "The most competitive racing series in the world is probably taking a couple of steps more in that direction with Honda moving to be the universal engine supplier and the series, as a whole, becoming more equal," he said. "I am expecting the races that everyone said 'how do you run that close' to somehow find a way to get even closer."

Although the chassis change is the most obvious alteration for this year, there has also been a shuffle in the key personnel for each team.

Simon Hodgson, who previously served as team manager for the Super Aguri Fernandez effort, takes on the role of team manager for both teams, while race engineers John Dick and Chris Finch and chief mechanic Don Lambert and Tony Leith have switched, with former working with Sharp and the latter pair with Matsuura.

"I felt the Delphi Fernandez team hit a great stride towards the latter half of the season last year," continued Sharp, who finished fifth in the point standings and won the race at Kentucky Speedway.

"Week in and week out we were always right around the top five, and I felt we reached a level of performance that if we would have been able to show in the first half of the season, certainly would have made us championship contenders."

Having been in-line for a seat at the Super Aguri F1 team making its debut in Bahrain this weekend, 2004 Rookie of the Year Matsuura, hopes his decision to stay put in the IRL for a third year will serve him well.

"I have learned a lot these past two years, even through the bad luck we had last season, and feel that we will be very strong in 2006," Matsuura said. "I am ready to challenge for not only race wins, but the championship as well."

Managing Director, Tom Anderson, is also pleased that Matsuura has chosen IRL over a possible F1 career. "We are excited to have Kosuke back for a third season," he said. "I have always been impressed with his natural driving ability and appetite for speed. With the experience he has gained on the ovals, he has everything he needs for success this season. I am looking forward to a great year."

He is also predicting big things in 2006 for Delphi Fernandez Racing, following such a promising debut year. "The Delphi Fernandez team had a great debut season in 2005 with Scott finishing fifth in the championship and scoring six top-five finishes and a win in Kentucky. We are looking forward to building on those results in 2006, and challenging for the championship."