IndyCar Series kicks off its season this weekend. In 2014, for the first time in its history, a pilot from Russia — Mikhail Aleshin, supported by the SMP Racing team — participates in this major overseas championship. Get a thrilling insight into the world of racing with the IndyCar presenter on the Russian Viasat Sport channel and one of Dragtimes.ru journalists Sergey Bednaruk.
Sometimes the IndyCar Series is called “the American equivalent of Formula 1” though the Indy car racing has a longer-standing history and traditions than the so-called ‘Queen of Motorsports’. For the first time these competitions were held more than a century ago and this year the IndyCar will have its 103rd season. As a matter of fact, these are the world’s oldest car racing competitions! Though almost all of IndyCar rounds are held in the USA, due to worldwide TV broadcasting and international entry list the popularity of this series spreads way beyond the United States. Right now it’s one of the most popular and prestigious racing championships on our planet.
The races are held on various types of tracks — the calendar includes race circuits, street circuits and ovals where cars fly wheel to wheel at the speed of more than 300 km/h. The centrepiece of the championship is the legendary Indianapolis 500 Mile Race which is held since 1911 and is on the top three list of most prestigious and famous closed-circuit automobile races together with the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 hours of Le Mans. It’s this race which begins with the legendary phrase: “Gentlemen, start your engines!”
All IndyCar pilots drive identical DW12 chassis produced by the Italian company Dallara; however, the teams use engines supplied by Honda and Chevrolet to provide technological competition. Yet the major focus is on pilots’ driving skills and car adjustments made by the engineers. That is why this series features keener and closer struggles on the tracks than those in Formula 1 and half of the peloton might claim victory. For instance, in the 2013 season ten different pilots celebrated victories in different rounds.
The major favourites in the upcoming season are the pilots of two large and highly awarded teams — Penske and Ganassi. Last year New Zealand driver Scott Dixon, competing for Chip Ganassi Racing team, won the IndyCar championship. In 2014 he will fight for his fourth “crown”. Last year’s Indy 500 winner Brazilian Tony Kanaan, Australian Ryan Briscoe, who returns to the series, and the breakthrough of the previous season American Charlie Kimball will join Dixon in Ganassi's lineup.
Penske will enter three cars for the new season — in 2014 the three-time Indy 500 winner Brazilian Hélio Castroneves and Australian racer Will Power (by the way, both of them won the vice champion titles, however, none of them could achieve championship victory) will be joined by the famous Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya who became the 1999 Champ Car winner (it was the name of the main American series for open wheel cars) and the 2000 Indy 500 champion. Transfer of a Formula 1 driver from NASCAR is an important acquisition for the IndyCar championship. No doubt that Montoya’s return will become one of major events in the upcoming season and will attract additional attention to the series.
The team of a formerly famous driver Michael Andretti is willing to challenge two IndyCar giants. He is also going to enter four cars. And while the cars of Penske and Ganassi are going to be fitted with Chevrolet engines this year, Andretti switches to Honda. This year team’s lineup will consist of the bearer of Andretti family name Marco (Michael’s son and the grandson of legendary Mario), another American racer, the 2012 champion, Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe who won three races last season, and also the season’s rookie Carlos Muñoz from Colombia, who had a bright debut in 2013 in Indianapolis.
It is possible that the French driver form the Schmidt Peterson team (it will be using Honda motors) Simon Pagenaud might also join the battle for the title — last year he won two races and was third in the overall championship standings. But the attention of the Russian audience will be focused on his teammate — Mikhail Aleshin, who will become the first Russian driver in the history of the major car racing competition of the New World. It is the next logical career development step for him — IndyCar lacks the budget of Formula 1 and is the best alternative for the Russian pilot.
The driver from Moscow, who will wear the colours of the SMP Racing, took part in several test sessions prior to his debut season. During the tests he was also able to get first impression of oval circuits. Mikhail’s work was highly praised by the team though he did not demonstrate strong performance during the final pre-season tests which gathered all participants of the championship.
What waits for Aleshin over the ocean? A season of training lies ahead of the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 champion — new race cars, unfamiliar tracks, high level of competition and increased attention from the American mass media and fans. It’s a harsh test but if Mikhail stands it, he will have a chance to make a name for himself in IndyCar like many other European racing drivers who reached stardom across the pond. In his debut season Aleshin will have to fight for the title of best rookie. He will compete with Carlos Muñoz mentioned above and the British driver Jack Hawksworth — both of them went through ‘junior’ American racing series thus having a certain advantage over our pilot.
Noteworthy is the fact that the Russian driver will take part in his debut race on the city circuit of St. Petersburg — a city founded by an immigrant from our country and named after Saint Petersburg in Russia. All in all, the 2014 schedule comprises fifteen rounds with three of them (in Detroit, Houston and Toronto) consisting of two races. Five rounds will be held on street circuits, four races on road courses and six races on oval tracks. Apart from the Indy 500, the season will feature two more 500-mile races (in Pocono and Fontana) with double points awarded for them (a win will be worth 100 points instead of the 50 awarded at standard IndyCar races). Furthermore, a $1 million bonus will be awarded to the driver sweeping all three races of the so-called «Triple Crown».
By the way, another famous pilot returns to the Indy 500 — the 1995 IndyCar and 1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve will take part in the legendary race, 19 years after winning the title in it. The Canadian pilot will drive the third car entered by the Schmidt Peterson team. Pagenaud, Villeneuve and Aleshin on the starting lineup of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race — sounds good, doesn’t it!
In Russia the IndyCar Series will be broadcast on Viasat Sport TV channel available in HD on the cable/satellite network. The first race will be shown on tape delay (March 31 5:00 PM Moscow Time) but most of the following races will be broadcast live with several reruns throughout the week. Moreover, one-hour reviews will go on air after each round. Our site will keep you informed about all twists and turns in the upcoming IndyCar season which promises to be very interesting.
2014 IndyCar Series calendar
March 30 St. Petersburg (Street Circuit)
April 13 Long Beach (Street Circuit)
April 27 Barber (Road Course)
May 10 Indianapolis (Road Course)
May 25 Indianapolis (Oval)
May 31 Detroit (Street Circuit)
June 1 Detroit (Street Circuit)
June 7 Texas (Oval)
June 28 Houston (Street Circuit)
June 29 Houston (Street Circuit)
July 6 Pocono (Oval)
July 12 Iowa (Oval)
July 19 Toronto (Street Circuit)
July 20 Toronto (Street Circuit)
August 3 Mid-Ohio (Road Course)
August 17 Milwaukee (Oval)
August 24 Sonoma (Road Course)
August 30 Fontana (Oval)