For which at least one IndyCar reporter should be
present, even if it’s His Wedding Anniversary…
What appeared to initially be a single car
test, in what probably is the last test session of the year? Although I’ve got
zero clue if the other six IndyCar teams have test days they’re sitting on?
As tomorrow’s private test has grown into a
procession of five IndyCar teams using their remaining allotted Driver
Evaluation test days in the California Desert, even if they have “No Vacancies”
on their driver rosters next year…
Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) was the first team to
book a date at Thermal, and will run Logan Sargeant in it’s Dallara Honda
chassis. As Sargent, who turns 24 years old on Tony Kanaan’s birthday, (Dec
31st) raced in formula 1 between 2023-24 for Williams F1, making a total of 37
starts before being replaced by rookie Argentine
sensation Franco Colapinto at Monza this September. And previously raced in
Formula 2, finishing fourth overall in 2022. Scoring a total of four podiums,
including two wins driving for Carlin.
MSR Arse-sumedly is using the test as an
evaluation of Thermal for next year’s upcoming points race on March 23rd. And
possibly also vetting personnel for its technical alliance with Chip Ganassi
Racing, who can also use MSR’s data…
Arrow McLaren will test Enzo Fittipaldi, the
younger brother of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Pietro Fittipaldi. As
Pietro still doesn’t know if He’ll be returning to the cockpit of the No. 30
RLLR Honda entry next year?
Pietro, Age 28 major accomplishment to date in
Open Wheel Racing is winning the 2017 Formula V8 3.5 series, the final
iteration of what was popularly known as the world Series by Renault 3.5
Championship. And has been the Haas F1 Team’s test & reserve driver since
2019. Along with making two Formula 1 Grands Prix starts as Romain Grosjean’s
substitute after His fiery crash in Bahrain in 2020.
Enzo Fittipaldi has spent the past three years
racing in the FIA Formula 2 World Championship. Currently driving for Van
Amersfoort Racing and having amassed 71 starts, with two wins and 13 podiums to
date. Along with having won the 2018 Italian F4 title. But like His older
brother Pietro, His chances at a Formula 1 career seem virtually Nil’.
Penske will have its standout Sports Car
driver, and reigning IMSA GTP Champion Felipe Nasr behind the wheel of its lone
racecar in California.
Nasr, Age 32 drove for the Sauber f1 Team
during the 2015-16 seasons, with a career best finish of fifth place upon His
Formula 1 debut in Australia.
Following F1, Felipe made His debut in the IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Partnering Eric Curran in the No. 31 Whelen
Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R prototype. As the duo won the Prototypes
championship with five podiums. Including finishing runner-up in the Rolex 24
behind their Seester’ “Mach 5 Mustang Sally”, Err No. 5 Mustang Sampling entry.
Along with winning at Belle Isle.
Felipe made three starts in Formula E in 2019,
before being announced as a Carlin driver for its IndyCar team the following
year. Yet due to COVID-19 shutting down motorsports in the spring of 2020, Nasr
never got to race in Indy Cars, returning to Sports Cars instead…
Rejoining the IMSA DPi ranks, Nasr and new
teammate Pipo Derani won at Sebring’s Spring Sprint race that year, starting
from Pole and winning the race, once again aboard the No. 31 Whelen Engineering
Caddy’.
For 2021, Nasr and Derani had a “magical”
season, scoring a total of eight podiums, including three wins enroute to the
title, Nasr’s second Sports Car Prototypes crown.
Then for 2023, Nasr became a Werks’ Porsche
Penske Motorsport driver. Having just won this year’s IMSA GTP title with Dane
Cameron. Nasr’s third championship and Cameron’s fourth.
According to Racer’s Marshall Pruett, Nasr has
tested Indy Cars for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Carlin and Team Penske
previously. And Penske President Tim Cindric claims Felipe always has His Hand
up to test and stay current in single seaters.
But like everyone else, Team Penske doesn’t
have any vacancies and Nasr’s not going anywhere. Having been confirmed to
continue in the #7 Penske Porsche 963 with new teammate Nick Tandy next year.
Meanwhile, RLLR will run its latest signing,
the reigning Indy NXT Champion Louis Foster. (Age 21) Having previously won the
2022 Indy Pro 2000 Championship with seven victories. Then ran away with the
Indy NXT Championship in His sophomore season with eight wins and seven Poles.
Being the only rookie for next year testing at Thermal.
Ed Carpenter Racing was the latest to join the
ever growing party at the Thermal Club on November 19, asking Hunter McElrea to
test for them. In what appears to be an early birthday present from ECR, as the
Kiwi’ turns 25 years old on November 21st.
Having won the 2018 Australian Formula 4
Championship with 13 wins before coming Stateside. Hunter finished runner-up in
the U.S. F2000 National Championship and third in Indy Pro 2000 driving for
Pabst Racing. And after claiming Rookie Of the Year for Andretti Autosport in
Indy Lights, claimed runner-up to current ECR IndyCar driver Christian
Rasmussen in 2023.
McElrea impressed with His raw speed during His
IndyCar debut at Toronto for Dale Coyne Racing. And has also become somewhat of
a Sports Car standout, having won this year in the LMP2 category driving for TDS
Racing. Taking back-to-back wins at the Battle
On the Bricks (Indianapolis) and Petit Le Mans. Along with winning this year’s
IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup LMP2 crown.
And like the Fittipaldi brothers, obviously McElrea wishes to become a Fulltime IndyCar driver, but appears to be a long shot…
