Christijan Albers  Born: 16.04.79  Birthplace:Eindhoven, Holland  Team: Midland F1  2006 Car Number: 19  Last Season: Minardi  GP Pedigree (After Japanese GP)  Starts: 36  Victories: 0  Poles: 0  Fastest Laps: 0  Points: 4  GP Debut: 2005, Australian GP, Minardi   Five-year Stats

Christijan Albers bucked the recent trend of Formula One drivers switching to the DTM Championship after their F1 careers are over and instead entered F1 from the German series.

Albers had his first taste of success in 1997 when he was crowned the Dutch National Kart Champion before moving to the German F3 Championship the following year.

It took just two seasons before once again he was at the very top, winning the title in 1999.

After one year in the F3000 International Championship he switched to DTM and also became the official test and reserve driver for Minardi.

He retained that roll in 2002 while still competing in Germany.

2003 was a successful season for the Dutchman, who finished runner-up despite scoring the most victories in DTM. He continued the next year, finishing third overall.

Having shown obvious signs of talent throughout his motorsport career, Albers entered F1 with Minardi in 2005 and put together some respectable performances.

He scored points and beat his team-mate in the six-car United States Grand Prix.

That, though, was the Dutchman’s only point-scoring result as Minardi once again struggled to find any pace.

However, his results were good enough to earn him a Midland seat for 2006 and a definite move up the F1 ladder.

Formula One Career:

2006:	GP with Midland F1 Racing.
2005:	GP with Minardi (4pts - 19th in championship).

Background:

2004:	DTM Mercedes, Team DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG-Mercedes (one win, six podium finishes), third place overall.
2003:	DTM Mercedes, Team HWA (four wins, at Adria, Nürburgring, Norisring, Zandvoort), runner-up DTM, scored the most victories.
2002:	DTM Mercedes, Team Rosberg Formula One, Test Driver KL Minardi Asiatech.
2001:	DTM Mercedes (one second place) Formula One, Test and Reserve driver, European Minardi.
2000:	F3000 International Championship, European Formula Racing.
1999:	German F3 Championship - Champion (six wins, 10 poles).
1998:	German F3 Championship - fifth place overall (two wins, five podiums).
1997:	Champion - Dutch National Kart (ICA 100cc), Champion - Formula Ford 1800 (Holland), Champion - Formula Ford 1800 (Belgium), Champion - Renault Megane Marlboro Masters.