In evaluating the numerous prospects campaigning for a seat in the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda-powered Indy car for the 2012 season, the Indianapolis-based team was searching for the right balance of speed, success and experience to lead it into the new era of IZOD IndyCar Series competition.
With his glittering Formula 1 resume and strong recent results demonstrating his continuing climb up the IndyCar Series grid, Takuma Sato proved to have all of the tools for the job, as the team named the Japanese veteran to pilot the team’s #15 Dallara/Honda/Firestone - one of its two Indy cars in 2012.
Sato, who made 91 starts over seven seasons in F1, joins RLL after making great strides in IndyCar in 2011. A two-time IndyCar Series polesitter last year, Sato looks to build on a successful sophomore season that saw him earn three top-five finishes, seven top-10s and lead 61 laps on his way to a 13th-place finish in the point standings.
Takuma made his Indy car debut in 2010 and made great improvements in 2011, gaining speed and positions as he visited the circuits of the series for the second time. In 2011 the IZOD IndyCar Series competed on 11 tracks that were also on the 2010 schedule, and Sato improved his finish from 2010 on seven of those circuits.
RLL returns to full-time IZOD IndyCar Series competition in 2012 for the first time since 2008. That season saw Ryan Hunter-Reay finish seventh in the final series standings, marking the 11th consecutive year that a RLL driver finished the year in the top-10 in driver points. The winners of the 1992 IndyCar championship as well as the 2004 Indianapolis 500, RLL Indy cars have finished in the top 10 in more than half of its 587 career series starts.
The RLL squad is currently readying the car for its first preseason tests and expects to participate in the IndyCar Series open testing at Sebring in March. The team is also finalizing its plans for a second car and intends to have it ready for preseason testing as well. The final sponsor and driver lineup for 2012 will be announced in the near future.
E.J. Viso joined his KV Racing Technology teammate from last year Tony Kanaan and Formula One veteran Rubens Barrichello for testing at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida.
Viso got into the seat of the #5 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone
IndyCar. In the morning session he ran 40 laps, approximately 64 miles and in the
afternoon 27 laps. He spent the entire day working on car setup, but in the
process still produced competitive times. Barrichello ran a total of 57 laps, 92 miles in Tony Kanaan's car. Barrichello said he is considering racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series following his initial test run with KV Racing. Kanaan reclaimed the #11 car for the afternoon session.
Lotus DRR driver Oriol Servia completed two successful days of testing at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida. The Spaniard got behind the wheel of the Lotus-powered Dallara DW12 for the first time Tuesday and again today as he participated in engine testing for the Lotus test team.
This week marked the third in a series of tests conducted for the Lotus test team, which is comprised of crew members from Lotus DRR, HVM, and Bryan Herta Autosport. The goal for the test was to check a few more boxes off of the "to do list" and continue further engine developments as well as setup work, and that's exactly what the Lotus test crew did. Servia completed 110 laps (183 miles) yesterday and logged in a total of 135 laps (225 miles) around the 1.66 mile short road course. Unfortunately, today was a cut a little bit short and the Lotus test crew wasn't able to get everything in as planned. Fortunately, Servia was still able to get track time in this morning as he recorded a total of 25 laps (42 miles) for today.
Last week, Bryan Herta Autosport driver Alex Tagliani took to the Homestead-Miami road course and HVM pilot Simona De Silvestro completed the first test run two weeks ago at West Palm Beach and at Sebring International Raceway. Both drivers recorded valuable mileage and data for the collaborative group.
The next Lotus test will occur in a few weeks and will be at a different track, which will allow Lotus and the Lotus test teams to continue to develop the engine and the suspension of the car. The first of the Lotus production engines are due to arrive soon and the Lotus DRR team will be able to begin testing their car at the end of the month in preparation to have a successful season opener at St. Petersburg, FL on March 25th.
Justin Wilson arrived at Sebring International Raceway about 24 hours after co-driving the winning Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian entry in the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona. He teamed with AJ Allmendinger, Oswaldo Negri Jr. and John Pew.
Of course, Wilson was sporting the winner's watch from the title sponsor (though he'll have to withdraw a few links in the band for it to fit properly). Wilson took in the completed Honda-powered No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing car, which he'll be shaking down Jan. 31 on the Sebring short course, for the first time.
Wilson, twice at runner-up in the endurance race on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway course, earned the victory in his fifth attempt. It was the first for Shank, who will enter a car in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season.
Panther Racing CEO and managing partner John Barnes last week was presented the Arizona Adjutant General's Medal for outstanding service and unwavering commitment to the United States National Guard.
The National Guard returns as the primary sponsor of the No. 4 Panther Racing car to be driven by JR Hildebrand in the 2012 season.
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