SMP Racing officially announces the participation of its pilot Mikhail Aleshin in 2014 in one of the most prestigious “formula” racing series — American IndyCar Series. Mikhail is to become the first Russian driver in IndyCar.
Mikhail Aleshin, the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion, next year will join Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team. He will spend a full season in IndyCar championship and will take part in all 19 races. The first round of 2014 season will be held on March 30 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The French driver Simon Pagenaud, who placed third in 2013 championship standings, will be his partner.
In the beginning of this week, on November 18, Mikhail conducted his first IndyCar race car tests on Sebring Raceway. SMP Racing pilot showed best lap time and was 0.03 seconds faster than Simon Pagenaud, whose car was powered by an engine of the latest generation. The success of the Russian pilot was greatly appreciated by the chiefs of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
Sam Schmidt, one of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team’s co-owners: “We are very glad that Mikhail Aleshin together with Simon Pagenaud will be representing our team in 2014 season. He is a mature and talented driver... We have already found his driving style to be very similar to Simon's and believe he can contribute immediately to the success of our team, even as a rookie”.
Mikhail Aleshin, SMP Racing pilot: “Participating in IndyCar is a new challenge for me. And right now I hardly have words to describe my feelings. Signing a contract with one of the best IndyCar teams means that I am to become the first Russian pilot in this prestigious championship. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports is a team with a long and successful history. I would like to thank my partners at SMP Racing who decided to take on such a big and interesting project and entrusted me to represent our country in IndyCar. I think it’s a very important step for our country. We will gain new experience, learn in practice during one of the world’s strongest championships and with the help of SMP Racing pilots support programme we will be able to pass the knowledge to the young drivers and help in their career development. This step shall definitely open doors to the United States for our sportsmen”.
Sergei Ushakov, Sport Adviser to the President of the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF), which provided its support in creating SMP Racing: “Debut of Mikhail Aleshin in IndyCar, the American analogue of Formula 1 races, gives more possibilities for cooperation with other countries and racing series to the Russian motor sports. Mikhail is one of the best Russian pilots who both achieves high results on the world stage and also passes his knowledge to the young racing drivers. Together with RAF and SMP Racing support programme he helps in creating teaching techniques for the kart racers and I am sure his IndyCar experience would bring a lot of new and useful information to the young sportsmen”.
Dmitry Samorukov, Managing Director at SMP Racing: “First of all, we would like to thank RAF for the effective cooperation in all sports and organising issues. SMP Racing is willing to increase career opportunities for the Russian pilots and the debut of Mikhail Aleshin in IndyCar will play a huge part in further development of our cooperative programme. Our choice of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports was not random. We liked their IndyCar newcomer adaptation programme and some of the approaches applied there can find implementation in Russian motor sports. We hope for a successful and mutually beneficial cooperation with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports”.
About IndyCar Series
IndyCar series, or IndyCar, is one of the most prestigious motorsport “formula” series in the USA and the whole world. The competitions are held on open-wheel cars, which is how they call “formula” cars in the US. In 2014 new regulations come into force, which require car engine upgrading. Among other things, 2.2-litre V6 direct-injected twin-turbocharged engines will be used next season. Engines of such type will be supplied by Chevrolet and Honda only.
IndyCar championship was founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George in 1996. Up to 2002 the series was called IRL and starting from 2003 it was renamed to IndyCar Series. Around 40 racing drivers take part in the championship, including a few of the world’s most famous pilots: four-time Champ Car champion Sébastien Bourdais; three-time IRL champion and “Indy 500” winner Scott Dixon; three-time “Indy 500” winner Hélio Castroneves and other outstanding sportsmen. IndyCar races are held on motor racing tracks situated in ten different states and Ontario in Canada. Tracks have circular layouts, including ovals which are typical for US.
About SMP Racing Programme
SMP Racing support programme of Russian pilots appeared in 2012. It was founded by Boris Rotenberg in cooperation with the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF) headed by Victor Kiryanov. Its major task is to offer an opportunity for the most talented pilots to work their way up from kart racing to the highest motor sport categories.
Right now more than 30 pilots take part in the support programme. SMP Racing is already providing assistance in professional growth of the young racing drivers in “formula” categories. They follow the classic European racing school scheme: first comes kart racing, then the “younger” series like Formula 4, Formula Abarth, Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, and Formula Renault 3.5. Experienced drivers showing highest results also take part in the competitions under the SMP Racing flag. In 2013 SMP Racing team and its pilots became silver medallists in Blancpain Endurance Series (in Pro-Am category) and winners of European Le Mans Series (GTC category).
About Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Team
It is one of the most successful and effective teams of the championship. In Firestone Indy Lights series it had 26 victories and 3 champion titles. In 2013 team’s pilot Simon Pagenaud placed third in championship standings.
The team was founded in 2001 by Sam Schmidt, a former Indy Racing League driver. His career in sports was rather successful in the beginning — pole position and victory scored at Las Vegas race in September of 1999 — but it was interrupted by a serious crash while testing in preparation for the next season on January 6, 2000. After that Sam Schmidt decided to focus on managing work and helping other racers in achieving high racing results. In the end of 2012 his team joined another team headed also by a former pilot Ric Peterson. The united team was called Schmidt Peterson Motorsports basing on the names of its two owners.
