2013 IndyCar Series / Mazda Road to Indy discussion

[Indy500]

Conquest Racing are looking to return to the Indycar series full-time, after their one-off Indy 500 entry this year with Ana Beatriz at the wheel. However, no drivers or engine package have been announced, though the team has one chassis ready for competition.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-conquest-aiming-for-full-time-return-in-2013/

 

[Guerrilla]

Wouldn't mind seeing Ana Beatriz in the seat to see her run a full season... If I remember right she didn't go so well in the races she did this year but it wasn't all down to her.

 

[Indy500]

If I remember right she didn't go so well in the races she did this year but it wasn't all down to her.

Well at Sao Paulo, Ana was caught up in the restart fracas and got a stop-go for hitting Carpenter in that incident, then penalised for pit-lane speeding as well. At the 500 a late spin put her out of contention (was 11th or so IIRC). She's fast in qualifying, just needs to stay out of trouble in the races and the results would reflect her true speed

 

[Indy500]

A quick news roundup:

Conor Daly will test for AJ Foyt Racing at Sebring on December 13th, according to his Twitter feed.

Conor Daly (@ConorDaly22) tweeted at 5:29 PM on Tue, Dec 04, 2012:
Absolutely cannot wait to get in an @IndyCar for the first time next week with @AJFoytRacing ! Incredible opportunity. Very thankful
(https://twitter.com/ConorDaly22/status/276090952450457602)

The Indycar Triple Crown returns in 2013, with a $1 million prize fund for the victor of Indianapolis, Pocono and Fontana:

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/12-December/12-4-Fuzzys-to-sponsor-triple-crown

Oriol Servia is confirmed for another season at Dreyer & Reinbold Racing:

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/12-December/12-4-Servia-returns-to-DRR

Penske Racing have offered Tony Stewart a ride for the 2013 Indy 500, but it is unclear whether he is prepared to take time out from his Nascar commitments:

http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/s...rt-offered-indianapolis-500-ride-roger-penske

 

[JRS]

Penske Racing have offered Tony Stewart a ride for the 2013 Indy 500, but it is unclear whether he is prepared to take time out from his Nascar commitments:

http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/s...rt-offered-indianapolis-500-ride-roger-penske

Maybe he should take up the offer, and try and take that $20m prize that Bruton Smith is offering for the first person to win the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600

 

[Indy500]

Maybe he should take up the offer, and try and take that $20m prize that Bruton Smith is offering for the first person to win the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600

1100 miles of racing in one day? I don't think Tony has that in him, especially not with this new spec Indycar

 

[JRS]

1100 miles of racing in one day? I don't think Tony has that in him, especially not with this new spec Indycar

He did run the whole 1100 miles back in 2001. That was a long time ago now, I'll grant you!

 

[Indy500]

He did run the whole 1100 miles back in 2001. That was a long time ago now, I'll grant you!

He already struggled that time, and he's in worse shape now. I guess it's not impossible...

 

[Indy500]

Jack Hawksworth, who secured the 2012 Star Mazda championship (including 8 wins and 4 second places from 15 starts), will enter the Indy Lights series in 2013.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indy-lights-star-mazda-champ-hawksworth-joins-ssm/

21-year-old British phenom Jack Hawksworth took the Mazda Road To Indy by storm in 2012, scoring the Star Mazda championship in dominant fashion during his first season of racing in America, and now he'll return to try and add the 2013 Firestone Indy Lights crown to his CV.

“I am delighted to confirm that I will be competing in Firestone Indy Lights with SSM,” Hawksworth said of joining the dominant Sam Schmidt Indy Lights program.

“The team’s success speaks for itself and I am relishing the opportunity to work with this team and help them achieve the best results possible in 2013.”

...

With a track record of producing Indy Lights champions, Schmidt feels confident about his newest charge.

“I’m really pleased to have Jack join SSM in 2013,” he said. “I watched his progress very closely this year in Star Mazda. He did a fantastic job, especially since he had not raced in the US before and everything was unfamiliar.”

 

[Indy500]

Time for another news round-up on IndyCar and its ladder series.

2012 Indy Lights champion Tristan Vautier tested with Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports at Sebring, recording the 4th quickest time of 15 drivers.

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/12-December/12-13-Vautier-appreciates-the-advice

“Tristan had such a great year with us in Firestone Indy Lights, and he truly deserves this chance to test in an IndyCar,” said Schmidt, who is seeking to add a companion car to the No. 77 driven by 2012 IndyCar Rookie of the Year Simon Pagenaud.

Conor Daly said he is considering driving for Foyt Racing after testing with the team:

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/12-December/12-13-Daly-auditions-with-Foyt-team

“As an American, I would love to be in a red, white and blue car and I think ABC Supply would like to see an American as well, so I think that would be a good fit not maybe just next year but in the future,” said Daly, who recorded the ninth-quickest lap time of 15 car-driver combinations on the 1.65-mile circuit. "They have (an unnamed) driver for next year in their main car so for me I’d like to help them as much as possible and learn because hopefully they would want to run a second car and honestly I would love to be in that second car."

Rubens Barrichello has opted to take a seat in the Brazilian Stock Car series:

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/arti...lo-opts-for-brazilian-stock-car-ride-in-2013/

 

[Indy500]

Another news round-up from the Indycar paddock:

Charlie Kimball will join the Chip Ganassi Racing sportscar team at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona next month.

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/12-December/12-17-Kimball-to-compete-in -Rolex-24

Kimball, who will enter his third IndyCar Series season driving the No. 83 Chip Ganassi Racing car, will be paired with Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target entry in the Daytona Prototype class. Pruett and Rojas earned their fourth GRAND-AM Daytona Prototype championship as teammates in 2012.

"I watched from the Ganassi pit stand last year and saw first-hand how much work and team effort it takes to have a good race, and I know I have great teammates in Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Juan Pablo Montoya," Kimball said. "I'm looking forward to getting down there for a test in a few weeks and take my first laps in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target car. I have to thank Chip Ganassi, Felix Sabates and the whole team for this opportunity. I'll be sure to make the most of it in January."

IndyCar Series champions Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon will be joined by Jamie McMurray and Joey Hand in the No. 02 Target/TELMEX car. Franchitti is the only driver to capture the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar Series title and the Rolex 24 At Daytona consecutively, accomplishing the feat in less than a year in 2009.

US Formula 2000 champion Matthew Brabham has secured a seat at Andretti Autosport's Pro Mazda team for 2013.

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012...-the-rise-Matthew-Brabham-inks-Pro-Mazda-deal

Brabham, 18, the second 2012 Mazda Road to Indy champion to graduate to the next series on the developmental ladder, is the grandson of three-time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack Brabham and son of former CART driver Geoff Brabham.

"I am so excited to be driving for the Andretti Autosport team in the 2013 Pro Mazda Championship," said Brabham, who recorded four victories and 11 podium finishes overall. "It was fantastic to drive for the team at the Indy test and get a feel for how they operate. The Pro Mazda had more power than the USF2000 car, so it was lots of fun to drive and gave me a good understanding of what to expect next season."

Indycar's tyre supplier will remain Bridgestone (through its Firestone brand) through the 2018 season after a new deal was signed last week.

http://www.indycar.com/News/2012/12-December/12-21-Firestone-extends-tire-supply-contract

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and INDYCAR announced today that Firestone will remain the sole tire supplier to the IndyCar Series through the 2018 race season.

“Firestone performance and safety have been synonymous with Indycar racing for more than 100 years,” Firestone Racing executive director Al Speyer said. “We are excited about the opportunity to continue the ongoing success of this series by extending the Firestone brand’s history in the sport through the 2018 season. We treasure the relationships we have fostered with the league, drivers, owners and various other partners involved with the sport through the years, and look forward to continuing our legacy of high performance for which Firestone tires are known.”

Former Indy Lights driver Olivier Webb has signed with reigning champions Fortec in the Formula Renault 3.5 series for 2013. The 21 year old Briton placed 7th in the FIL championship for Schmidt Motorsports this year. Previously he placed 3rd in his sole years in British Formula Renault and Formula 3 (2008, 2010 respectively).

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104939

"We were speaking to a variety of championships and teams for the 2013 season but, when the opportunity arose with Fortec, it was a clear decision," said Webb.

Fortec has already signed Formula Renault Eurocup champion Stoffel Vandoorne for its other 2013 FR3.5 seat.

Webb has not won since his Fortec F3 season, and team boss Richard Dutton is keen to give him a chance to show his full potential next year.

"We have a great relationship with him, and we've really seen him grow through the years, and he is an incredibly talented driver," Dutton said.

 

[Indy500]

A quick end of year news update:

AJ Allmendinger has not finalised his plans for 2013, despite receiving offers from Indycar and Nascar teams.

http://www.wjhg.com/sports/headlines/Finch-Committed-to-18-Cup-Races-in-2013-184482401.html

Cooper Tires has extended its title sponsorship and supply deal with the US Formula 2000 series through 2015.

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/12-December/12-11-Key-partner-extends-relationship-with-USF2000

 

[Indy500]

Tony Kanaan and Rubens Barrichello will enter the Rolex 24 at Daytona, with Dener Motorsport driving a Porsche GT3. Former CART\Indycar driver Paul Tracy is also entering the event for Doran Racing in a Ford\Dallara prototype class. They will be joining the final test before the race along with over 100 other entries from both Grand-Am and the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/grand-am-barrichello-kanaan-team-up-for-rolex-24/

Honda report they are happy with the status of the 2013 Indycar engine program:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104937

IndyCar regulations require manufacturers to homologate their engines by January 18, after which many areas of the powerplant will be subject to a development freeze during the year.

Honda lost out to Chevrolet for this year's manufacturers' title, in the American firm's first season back in the series.

But HPD technical director Roger Griffiths told AUTOSPORT that he is encouraged by the progress his team is making during the off-season.

"We're feeling reasonably confident," he said.

 

[Guerrilla]

Was sad to read Barrichello won't be racing in Indy this year and will be mainly doing his racing in Brazil Still I suppose it gives more scope to do these one offs if he feels like it.

 

[Indy500]

Was sad to read Barrichello won't be racing in Indy this year and will be mainly doing his racing in Brazil Still I suppose it gives more scope to do these one offs if he feels like it.

Well I'd think he prefers the higher pay and being close to home. Maybe he'll come back for the 500, who knows.

 

[Guerrilla]

Well I'd think he prefers the higher pay and being close to home. Maybe he'll come back for the 500, who knows.

Yea that'd be good to see, not sure he was overly keen on the ovals though.

 

[Indy500]

Yea that'd be good to see, not sure he was overly keen on the ovals though.

Eh, Rubens did okay for someone with no oval experience in a midfield team - 7th at Iowa, 10th at Milwaukee and 11th at Indy. Probably another 7th at Fontana if the car held up. I can see him doing a one-off at Sao Paulo since the street circuit Indycar uses is pretty much on his doorstep.

Speaking of one-offs, Ryan Hunter-Reay is also participating in the Rolex 24 with Taylor Racing:

http://www.grand-am.com/News/GA_New...s-wtr-lineup-for-rolex-24.aspx?cid=6383&sid=1

At this rate, half the Indycar field will be there

Edit: Tagliani now too with Starworks - http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/grand-am-tagliani-joins-starworks-rolex-24-lineup/

 

[Guerrilla]

Eh, Rubens did okay for someone with no oval experience in a midfield team - 7th at Iowa, 10th at Milwaukee and 11th at Indy. Probably another 7th at Fontana if the car held up. I can see him doing a one-off at Sao Paulo since the street circuit Indycar uses is pretty much on his doorstep.

Speaking of one-offs, Ryan Hunter-Reay is also participating in the Rolex 24 with Taylor Racing:

http://www.grand-am.com/News/GA_New...s-wtr-lineup-for-rolex-24.aspx?cid=6383&sid=1

At this rate, half the Indycar field will be there

Edit: Tagliani now too with Starworks - http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/grand-am-tagliani-joins-starworks-rolex-24-lineup/

Oh yea he did pretty damn well, just had the impression he wasn't fond of them, wasn't that one of the reasons he was perhaps not going to drive in Indy?

Never watched the Rolex 24, is it worth watching?

 

[Indy500]

Never watched the Rolex 24, is it worth watching?

The 24 hours of Daytona event is not as famous as the Le Mans or Sebring endurance races, but I think it's interesting nonetheless. It uses much more of the oval than most "roval" courses, and you'll see a lot of drivers that wouldn't normally enter sportscar races.

 

[Indy500]

Takuma Sato has signed with AJ Foyt Racing for the 2013 Indycar season:

http://ajfoytracing.com/news/231-takuma-sato-signs-with-aj-foyt-racing

It is unclear whether former drivers Mike Conway or Wade Cunningham will return for one-off entries with the team.