Sebastián Saavedra will be promoted back to the Izod IndyCar Series after a season in Indy Lights. The Colombian driver won one race last year in Lights, finished fourth in the standings and competed in the Indianapolis 500, Sonoma and Fontana for Andretti Autosport will return full-time with Dragon Racing and team with Sébastien Bourdais.
With Saavedra signed, that makes 13 Chevrolet teams announced (4 Andretti, 2 Penske, 2 KV, 2 Panther/D&RR, 2 Dragon and 1 Carpenter), 10 Honda teams (3 Ganassi, 2 Schmidt, 2 RLLR, 1 Fisher-Hartman, 1 Herta and 1 Foyt) and leaves the 2 Hondas of Dale Coyne Racing as the only unannounced seats. Tentatively, IndyCar is looking as a 25 car grid, on par with what was seen most of 2012.
The car will be sponsored by TRUECAR, which was brought to the team by Katherine Legge last year. Legge was thought to be returning in 2013 and now appears she will not be on the grid come St. Petersburg March 24.
As for the two Coyne Hondas, Justin Wilson is believed to be returning to the team and the future of the second seat is unknown. Ryan Briscoe is still on the outside, while James Jakes, who ran the second Coyne car in 2011 and 2012, is now at Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Racing.
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Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Champions Crowned, An Idea for Iowa and The Never Ending Offseason
Champions Crowned
It may only be February, but that does not mean it is not too early to be handing out championship trophies.
Neil Alberico won the 2013 U.S. Winterfest championship on Sunday at Palm Beach International Raceway. Alberico swept the three races at Sebring midweek and won the final two races on Sunday at Palm Beach. He defeated Canadian Scott Hargrove by 29 points, who won the first race at Palm Beach on Saturday. Brit James Fletcher finished third in the standings. Three Canadians, Garett Grist, Stefan Rzadzinski and Jesse Lazare, took fourth, fifth and sixth respectively with American Jason Wolfe finishing seventh. Matthew Di Leo of Canada finished eighth and American Peter Portante took ninth.
Meanwhile in India, Conor Daly took the 2012-13 MRF Challenge championship in style. He entered the final race 14 points behind Jordan King of the United Kingdom. After King won race one, all he had to do was finish four positions ahead of Daly. Daly finished sixth in race one and started on pole for race two.
King spun in the first corner in race two and Daly went on the win the final race of the year and take the championship by five points over King.
An Idea for Iowa
A few nights ago I was on Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee discussing expanding IndyCar's online coverage to include practice and qualifying and most notable the Iowa heat races. After a few days thinking about it, a clear conclusion came to mind:
Make the heat races full championship races and put it on the schedule which would now be 20 races. Why? Because then it would have to be on television. Instead of giving out a certain number of points for the heat races only, give each finisher the amount they would get in an actual race.
For example: keep the three, 50 lap heat race format, keep the transfers and keep it as the way to set the field for the feature on Sunday. However, instead of giving those who don't qualify for the final no points, give them what they would have receive with the normal race points system. If race 1 sets the even-numbered positions then pay second in heat 1 tenth place points (20) and so on and do the same with race 2. Then have the final heat fight for normal championship points from first place through eighth. What this does is put an emphasize on getting out of the heat. Instead of receiving one point more than those who don't qualify, a driver could transfer to the final, score 50 points for the win and have a thirty point swing.
Counting heat races as full point events is nothing new. From 1973-1975, the qualification races for the California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway paid normal championship points. If it was done then, it could be done now.
The Never Ending Offseason
It's days in the mid-60's like the one today in Pittsburgh where I am wearing short sleeves around that make me long for the season to start earlier. This past weekend, my cousin and I went out for lunch and wondered, now that football season is over, what is there to watch in the afternoon? Starting the week after the Super Bowl is what IndyCar should shoot for. I don't care if it's Phoenix or Austin or New Orleans or Homestead or anywhere else where an oval in a warm climate is located.
Testing may be around the corner, but it is just not the same. There are still rides left open, too many stories to do not with the product but executive decisions and to be honest, boredom. Maybe this time next year the season opener will only be days away.
It may only be February, but that does not mean it is not too early to be handing out championship trophies.
Neil Alberico won the 2013 U.S. Winterfest championship on Sunday at Palm Beach International Raceway. Alberico swept the three races at Sebring midweek and won the final two races on Sunday at Palm Beach. He defeated Canadian Scott Hargrove by 29 points, who won the first race at Palm Beach on Saturday. Brit James Fletcher finished third in the standings. Three Canadians, Garett Grist, Stefan Rzadzinski and Jesse Lazare, took fourth, fifth and sixth respectively with American Jason Wolfe finishing seventh. Matthew Di Leo of Canada finished eighth and American Peter Portante took ninth.
Meanwhile in India, Conor Daly took the 2012-13 MRF Challenge championship in style. He entered the final race 14 points behind Jordan King of the United Kingdom. After King won race one, all he had to do was finish four positions ahead of Daly. Daly finished sixth in race one and started on pole for race two.
King spun in the first corner in race two and Daly went on the win the final race of the year and take the championship by five points over King.
An Idea for Iowa
A few nights ago I was on Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee discussing expanding IndyCar's online coverage to include practice and qualifying and most notable the Iowa heat races. After a few days thinking about it, a clear conclusion came to mind:
Make the heat races full championship races and put it on the schedule which would now be 20 races. Why? Because then it would have to be on television. Instead of giving out a certain number of points for the heat races only, give each finisher the amount they would get in an actual race.
For example: keep the three, 50 lap heat race format, keep the transfers and keep it as the way to set the field for the feature on Sunday. However, instead of giving those who don't qualify for the final no points, give them what they would have receive with the normal race points system. If race 1 sets the even-numbered positions then pay second in heat 1 tenth place points (20) and so on and do the same with race 2. Then have the final heat fight for normal championship points from first place through eighth. What this does is put an emphasize on getting out of the heat. Instead of receiving one point more than those who don't qualify, a driver could transfer to the final, score 50 points for the win and have a thirty point swing.
Counting heat races as full point events is nothing new. From 1973-1975, the qualification races for the California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway paid normal championship points. If it was done then, it could be done now.
The Never Ending Offseason
It's days in the mid-60's like the one today in Pittsburgh where I am wearing short sleeves around that make me long for the season to start earlier. This past weekend, my cousin and I went out for lunch and wondered, now that football season is over, what is there to watch in the afternoon? Starting the week after the Super Bowl is what IndyCar should shoot for. I don't care if it's Phoenix or Austin or New Orleans or Homestead or anywhere else where an oval in a warm climate is located.
Testing may be around the corner, but it is just not the same. There are still rides left open, too many stories to do not with the product but executive decisions and to be honest, boredom. Maybe this time next year the season opener will only be days away.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Leader Circle and Start-And-Park
When it comes to racing, money, at times, is more essential than talent, winning and heart.
IndyCar and NASCAR, despite the difference in fan base size, field of drivers, schedule and technology just to name a few things, if there is one thing the two sanctioning bodies share is money distribution. Recently, both series announced changes to how and how much teams will receive.
IndyCar will continue their Leader Circle program which will give 22 teams, $1 million for the full season, which can be viewed as the financial base for these teams to start their 2013 budgeting. NASCAR announced changes to race purses at the back of the field, where from 39th to last place (43rd) each position will be receiving $4,000 less than the position ahead of them. This is planned to discourage start-and-park teams, which have become more relevant since the economic downturn began last decade.
To be honest, I disagree with both decisions.
Let's start with IndyCar. The Leader Circle program has worked out well, giving each entry a base amount of money that they know they can count on and the teams know how much more they will need to complete their budget for a full season. However it does have some flaws. In my opinion, to encourage teams to "go for it" if you will, their should be some difference from the top and the bottom. The champion receives the same amount as 20th in the entrant points. Why? My opinion is the top should reward more than the bottom.
Currently, Ryan Briscoe, a winner last season is on the outside looking in. Leader Circle should have a bonus program for teams that hire past winners and past champions. Depending on how large the bonuses are, this could discourage teams from hiring a ride-buyer, whether it be domestic or from abroad.
With $1 million being given to 22 teams and roughly $4 million dollars being available to the non-Leader Circle teams, a rough, educated estimate of the total amount in the Leader Circle pot is $26 million. My proposal is $1.25 million be given to the top ten in entrant points (total: $12.5 million). Give 11th-15th each $750,000 (total: $3.75 million) and 16th-20th receive $500,000 (total: $2.5 million). So off my rough estimations, $7.25 million remains of that original $26 million.
Bonuses should be given out for the hiring the following type of drivers, winners from the year before and past champions. Last year, eight drivers won a race, seven have rides for 2013. Give $500,000 for each winner in 2012 (total: $3.5 million). Five past champions have been announced for 2013 (Hunter-Reay, Franchitti, Dixon, Bourdais and Kanaan). Give the five drivers $500,000 each (total: $2.5 million). That leaves $1.25 million, which can be split amongst the 19 races and added to the lack of race purses.
While this looks like padding the pockets of the larger teams, it could be helpful for keeping winners in the sport. Briscoe would receive a $500,000 bonus for winning in 2012.
But the ride-buyer situation would not simply go away. For those five teams only getting $500,000, hiring a race winner or past champion is easier said than done. If anything it could encourage the back of the grid to hire a ride buyer. Reforming the Leader Circle program is not a quick fix. Easiest thing to do would be to get rid of the program and bringing back serious race purses to the all event. However, that just not seem to be in the cards.
When it comes to NASCAR trying to discourage start-and-park teams, it presents a unique situation. For starters, what are start-and-park teams doing wrong? The start-and-park teams are not keeping Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski out of the race, hell if it were not for the start-and-park teams most of the NASCAR races would not feature full fields. When it comes to competing, we can debate whether or not these team actually compete in the races they start. Taking away money from these teams is not going to solve problem and shrinking the maximum starting field would just make it worse. All this change does is give them a reason to compete for 38th. 38TH PEOPLE! If there is one thing NASCAR could do is instead of taking money away, encourage these teams to compete in a different way. While most of these teams bring very few crew members to the track, encourage these teams to use who they have to do pit stops. It may take them 30 to 45 seconds but no fan or big wig NASCAR executive would criticize a team for trying as best as they can.
IndyCar and NASCAR, despite the difference in fan base size, field of drivers, schedule and technology just to name a few things, if there is one thing the two sanctioning bodies share is money distribution. Recently, both series announced changes to how and how much teams will receive.
IndyCar will continue their Leader Circle program which will give 22 teams, $1 million for the full season, which can be viewed as the financial base for these teams to start their 2013 budgeting. NASCAR announced changes to race purses at the back of the field, where from 39th to last place (43rd) each position will be receiving $4,000 less than the position ahead of them. This is planned to discourage start-and-park teams, which have become more relevant since the economic downturn began last decade.
To be honest, I disagree with both decisions.
Let's start with IndyCar. The Leader Circle program has worked out well, giving each entry a base amount of money that they know they can count on and the teams know how much more they will need to complete their budget for a full season. However it does have some flaws. In my opinion, to encourage teams to "go for it" if you will, their should be some difference from the top and the bottom. The champion receives the same amount as 20th in the entrant points. Why? My opinion is the top should reward more than the bottom.
Currently, Ryan Briscoe, a winner last season is on the outside looking in. Leader Circle should have a bonus program for teams that hire past winners and past champions. Depending on how large the bonuses are, this could discourage teams from hiring a ride-buyer, whether it be domestic or from abroad.
With $1 million being given to 22 teams and roughly $4 million dollars being available to the non-Leader Circle teams, a rough, educated estimate of the total amount in the Leader Circle pot is $26 million. My proposal is $1.25 million be given to the top ten in entrant points (total: $12.5 million). Give 11th-15th each $750,000 (total: $3.75 million) and 16th-20th receive $500,000 (total: $2.5 million). So off my rough estimations, $7.25 million remains of that original $26 million.
Bonuses should be given out for the hiring the following type of drivers, winners from the year before and past champions. Last year, eight drivers won a race, seven have rides for 2013. Give $500,000 for each winner in 2012 (total: $3.5 million). Five past champions have been announced for 2013 (Hunter-Reay, Franchitti, Dixon, Bourdais and Kanaan). Give the five drivers $500,000 each (total: $2.5 million). That leaves $1.25 million, which can be split amongst the 19 races and added to the lack of race purses.
While this looks like padding the pockets of the larger teams, it could be helpful for keeping winners in the sport. Briscoe would receive a $500,000 bonus for winning in 2012.
But the ride-buyer situation would not simply go away. For those five teams only getting $500,000, hiring a race winner or past champion is easier said than done. If anything it could encourage the back of the grid to hire a ride buyer. Reforming the Leader Circle program is not a quick fix. Easiest thing to do would be to get rid of the program and bringing back serious race purses to the all event. However, that just not seem to be in the cards.
When it comes to NASCAR trying to discourage start-and-park teams, it presents a unique situation. For starters, what are start-and-park teams doing wrong? The start-and-park teams are not keeping Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski out of the race, hell if it were not for the start-and-park teams most of the NASCAR races would not feature full fields. When it comes to competing, we can debate whether or not these team actually compete in the races they start. Taking away money from these teams is not going to solve problem and shrinking the maximum starting field would just make it worse. All this change does is give them a reason to compete for 38th. 38TH PEOPLE! If there is one thing NASCAR could do is instead of taking money away, encourage these teams to compete in a different way. While most of these teams bring very few crew members to the track, encourage these teams to use who they have to do pit stops. It may take them 30 to 45 seconds but no fan or big wig NASCAR executive would criticize a team for trying as best as they can.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Viso to Andretti/HVM Partnership
Money may not be able to buy you love, but it sure can get you an IndyCar ride.
EJ Viso has been confirmed to the fourth Andretti seat, which will be a partnership with HVM Racing and use their Leader Circle position. The team will be entered as PDVSA Team Venezuela/Andretti Autosport. Viso entered IndyCar with HVM and Michael Cannon as his engineer when reunification occurred in 2008. He scored a fourth place finish in his second race at St. Petersburg and scored six top tens in his rookie season.
However, Viso has been more known for his tendency to wreck cars, despite a fast pace and changing numbers every season. He scored a podium at Iowa in 2010 but successful results have been few and far between for Viso. He has scored top tens in each of his five seasons in IndyCar but for his 17 career top tens, he has 26 finishes of 20th or worse in his 82 career starts and has never scored higher than 17th in the final championship standings.
Viso will be occupying one of the 22 Leader Circle positions, bringing the tentative full-time grid to 23. He is the 13th Chevrolet driver announced and his partnership with HVM ends any possibility of Katherine Legge being loaned to the team from Dragon Racing.
EJ Viso has been confirmed to the fourth Andretti seat, which will be a partnership with HVM Racing and use their Leader Circle position. The team will be entered as PDVSA Team Venezuela/Andretti Autosport. Viso entered IndyCar with HVM and Michael Cannon as his engineer when reunification occurred in 2008. He scored a fourth place finish in his second race at St. Petersburg and scored six top tens in his rookie season.
However, Viso has been more known for his tendency to wreck cars, despite a fast pace and changing numbers every season. He scored a podium at Iowa in 2010 but successful results have been few and far between for Viso. He has scored top tens in each of his five seasons in IndyCar but for his 17 career top tens, he has 26 finishes of 20th or worse in his 82 career starts and has never scored higher than 17th in the final championship standings.
Viso will be occupying one of the 22 Leader Circle positions, bringing the tentative full-time grid to 23. He is the 13th Chevrolet driver announced and his partnership with HVM ends any possibility of Katherine Legge being loaned to the team from Dragon Racing.
Leader Circle, Allmendinger and Winterfest
NOTE: Tonight I am scheduled to appear on Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee. Show airs from 8pm-10pm EST on 1070 the Fan. Live streaming can be found here.
Leader Circle Spots Handed Out
Yesterday, 22 Leader Circle spots were handed out, an increase from 20 in 2012. 19 team finished in the top 22 in entrant points, while Sarah Fisher-Hartman, HVM and Dragon Racing were each award a spot for being the next three in 2012 entrant points. With HVM being awarded a spot, it all but confirms the team will be back in 2013, after the Lotus debacle put the teams continuation in IndyCar in question.
Of these 22 spots, three have drivers yet to be named. HVM and two Dale Coyne entries, although Justin Wilson is believed to be returning to the team. Rumors have been out there that Katherine Legge may be loaned to HVM from Dragon for 2013.
The second Schmidt-Peterson entry and second Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan entry are the only announced team outside the Leader Circle so far. A fourth Andretti and a second Dragon are expected to join Vautier and Jakes as non-Leader Circle teams. Other potential non-Leader Circle teams for 2013 are a fourth Ganassi entry and Michael Shank Racing.
Allmendinger to test an IndyCar for Penske
It has been a little over 6 years since AJ Allmendinger last raced an open-wheel car for Forsythe Racing at the penultimate round of the 2006 Champ Car season at Surfers Paradise. Now, the past race winner is looking to start act two. Allmendinger has a test scheduled with Penske Racing at Sebring. Currently, Allmendinger is scheduled to run the four races in the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Allemdinger only has a test scheduled but if a sponsor can be found, would make his return at Barber April 7, while running Long Beach and Indianapolis later in the year.
Interesting enough, the Barber race is scheduled the same day as Martinsville, one of the four on Allmendinger's NASCAR schedule. Allmendinger was suspended for a failed drug test before the July race at Daytona, was released by Penske but returned for the October race at Charlotte.
2013 U.S. F2000 Winterfest
The first championship of the 2013 Mazda Road to Indy ladder system is under way.The past two days, three races for the U.S. F2000 Winterfest took place at Sebring. American Neil Alberico swept the three races and leads Canadian Scott Hargorve by 21 points. Third, fourth and fifth in the points are Canadians Garett Grist, driving for Andretti Autosport, Jesse Lazare and Stefan Rzadzinski. Brit James Fletcher is sixth with Jake Eidson being the next highest American, however Eidson will not be competing in the final three races at Palm Beach International Raceway this Saturday and Sunday.
Leader Circle Spots Handed Out
Yesterday, 22 Leader Circle spots were handed out, an increase from 20 in 2012. 19 team finished in the top 22 in entrant points, while Sarah Fisher-Hartman, HVM and Dragon Racing were each award a spot for being the next three in 2012 entrant points. With HVM being awarded a spot, it all but confirms the team will be back in 2013, after the Lotus debacle put the teams continuation in IndyCar in question.
Of these 22 spots, three have drivers yet to be named. HVM and two Dale Coyne entries, although Justin Wilson is believed to be returning to the team. Rumors have been out there that Katherine Legge may be loaned to HVM from Dragon for 2013.
The second Schmidt-Peterson entry and second Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan entry are the only announced team outside the Leader Circle so far. A fourth Andretti and a second Dragon are expected to join Vautier and Jakes as non-Leader Circle teams. Other potential non-Leader Circle teams for 2013 are a fourth Ganassi entry and Michael Shank Racing.
Allmendinger to test an IndyCar for Penske
It has been a little over 6 years since AJ Allmendinger last raced an open-wheel car for Forsythe Racing at the penultimate round of the 2006 Champ Car season at Surfers Paradise. Now, the past race winner is looking to start act two. Allmendinger has a test scheduled with Penske Racing at Sebring. Currently, Allmendinger is scheduled to run the four races in the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Allemdinger only has a test scheduled but if a sponsor can be found, would make his return at Barber April 7, while running Long Beach and Indianapolis later in the year.
Interesting enough, the Barber race is scheduled the same day as Martinsville, one of the four on Allmendinger's NASCAR schedule. Allmendinger was suspended for a failed drug test before the July race at Daytona, was released by Penske but returned for the October race at Charlotte.
2013 U.S. F2000 Winterfest
The first championship of the 2013 Mazda Road to Indy ladder system is under way.The past two days, three races for the U.S. F2000 Winterfest took place at Sebring. American Neil Alberico swept the three races and leads Canadian Scott Hargorve by 21 points. Third, fourth and fifth in the points are Canadians Garett Grist, driving for Andretti Autosport, Jesse Lazare and Stefan Rzadzinski. Brit James Fletcher is sixth with Jake Eidson being the next highest American, however Eidson will not be competing in the final three races at Palm Beach International Raceway this Saturday and Sunday.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
James Jakes to Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan; Few Seats Remain
The popular belief was Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Racing would expand their operation to two cars in 2013 and they will be. However their new second driver was not pegged as their first choice. James Jakes will enter his third season in the Izod IndyCar Series with RLLR in the #30 Acorn Stairlifts Honda.
After a below-average rookie season where his best finish was thirteenth and he failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, Jakes scored two top tens in 2012, an eighth at Toronto and a tenth at Texas. Jakes leaves Dale Coyne Racing for RLLR who will field two cars for the first time since 2007, when the team fielded Scott Sharp and Ryan Hunter-Reay, who took over for Jeff Simmons after he was released mid-season.
Jakes joins Graham Rahal who will also be in his first season with his father's team. Mike Conway was announced to be running a one-off at Long Beach. Nothing has been announced about a possible Indianapolis 500 only entry this season. The team has not won a race since Watkins Glen in 2008 and the team ran Indianapolis only from 2009 to 2011.
Jakes becomes the tenth announced Honda entry making the tentative full-time line up at Ganassi (3), Schmidt-Petersen (2), RLLR (2), Foyt (1), Herta (1) and Sarah Fisher-Hartman (1). Chevrolet has tentatively twelve full-time entries announced, Andretti (3), Penske (2), KV (2), Dragon (2), Panther/D&R (2) and Ed Carpenter Racing (1). Other rumored additional entries are a fourth Andretti, fourth Ganassi, third Penske, third Dragon, second Foyt, second Coyne and Michael Shank Racing.
With Jakes being signed, Ryan Briscoe and EJ Viso are the only two full-time drivers from 2012 to have yet announced their plans for 2013. Rubens Barrichello has announced he will be racing in Stock Car Brasil and Mike Conway is still working on a full road and street course program.
After a below-average rookie season where his best finish was thirteenth and he failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, Jakes scored two top tens in 2012, an eighth at Toronto and a tenth at Texas. Jakes leaves Dale Coyne Racing for RLLR who will field two cars for the first time since 2007, when the team fielded Scott Sharp and Ryan Hunter-Reay, who took over for Jeff Simmons after he was released mid-season.
Jakes joins Graham Rahal who will also be in his first season with his father's team. Mike Conway was announced to be running a one-off at Long Beach. Nothing has been announced about a possible Indianapolis 500 only entry this season. The team has not won a race since Watkins Glen in 2008 and the team ran Indianapolis only from 2009 to 2011.
Jakes becomes the tenth announced Honda entry making the tentative full-time line up at Ganassi (3), Schmidt-Petersen (2), RLLR (2), Foyt (1), Herta (1) and Sarah Fisher-Hartman (1). Chevrolet has tentatively twelve full-time entries announced, Andretti (3), Penske (2), KV (2), Dragon (2), Panther/D&R (2) and Ed Carpenter Racing (1). Other rumored additional entries are a fourth Andretti, fourth Ganassi, third Penske, third Dragon, second Foyt, second Coyne and Michael Shank Racing.
With Jakes being signed, Ryan Briscoe and EJ Viso are the only two full-time drivers from 2012 to have yet announced their plans for 2013. Rubens Barrichello has announced he will be racing in Stock Car Brasil and Mike Conway is still working on a full road and street course program.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Andretti Looks At Expansion
After contracting to three cars and winning the Izod IndyCar Series championship, Andretti Autosport is looking to expand their operations.
According to Marshall Pruett of SPEED, the team has hired Craig Hampson as engineer to James Hinchcliffe, a combination that led Hinchcliffe to his Rookie of the Year in 2011 at Newman-Haas Racing and Michael Cannon to engineer a fourth car with a driver still to be announced. Cannon worked for Ed Carpenter Racing in 2012 and previously worked at Forsythe and HVM.
While the driver has not been named, a clue dropped in Pruett's article can be found in the line:
A few male drivers on the outside looking in are Ryan Briscoe, James Jakes, EJ Viso and Sebastián Saavedra. It could be possible Andretti Autosport sign a driver away from their current team to fill in the open seat. Jakes, Viso and Saavedra all have money following them where ever they go, while Ryan Briscoe is a proven race winner and won pole position for last year's Indianapolis 500. Other drivers rumored to being looking to make the move to IndyCar are Gustavo Yacamán and Esteban Guerrieri from Indy Lights and Narain Karthikeyan from Formula One.
According to Marshall Pruett of SPEED, the team has hired Craig Hampson as engineer to James Hinchcliffe, a combination that led Hinchcliffe to his Rookie of the Year in 2011 at Newman-Haas Racing and Michael Cannon to engineer a fourth car with a driver still to be announced. Cannon worked for Ed Carpenter Racing in 2012 and previously worked at Forsythe and HVM.
While the driver has not been named, a clue dropped in Pruett's article can be found in the line:
"A formal announcement on Andretti's expansion to four cars is expected next week, and when that driver straps into his chassis..."The key word is obviously "his," meaning it will be a male driver, negating any chance Ana Beatriz or any other female driver get the ride.
A few male drivers on the outside looking in are Ryan Briscoe, James Jakes, EJ Viso and Sebastián Saavedra. It could be possible Andretti Autosport sign a driver away from their current team to fill in the open seat. Jakes, Viso and Saavedra all have money following them where ever they go, while Ryan Briscoe is a proven race winner and won pole position for last year's Indianapolis 500. Other drivers rumored to being looking to make the move to IndyCar are Gustavo Yacamán and Esteban Guerrieri from Indy Lights and Narain Karthikeyan from Formula One.
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