2014 season of the American IndyCar Series goes ahead. The Russian driver from SMP Racing team Mikhail Aleshin has a successful debut in this championship. Another test day was spent at the Texas Motor Speedway (Texas, USA).
“The track is both interesting and challenging,” says Mikhail Aleshin. “First of all, it’s an oval. It has only left turns. Moreover, the track in Texas is most known for its steep banking. One should also note the prevailing weather conditions in this state — it's very windy here. All these factors have a significant effect on the behaviour of the race car also affecting driving technique”.
Due to some technical issues with the car, the actual track experience lasted only around 40 minutes. But Mikhail Aleshin had enough time to note a few important details peculiar for oval tracks.
“Races on ovals have their own unique features. First of all, in IndyCar Series the cars used on ovals are different from those used on street course tracks, for instance. They have different dimensions, use different engine and aerodynamics adjustments. If you look at the configuration of any oval track, you can see very long straight sections where powerful IndyCar race cars accelerate up to 400 km/h. It makes the races held on such tracks very spectacular but they also demand maximum concentration from the pilots”, assumes SMP Racing pilot Mikhail Aleshin.
The race at the Texas Motor Speedway will be held on June 7th, 2014. Meanwhile, this week-end, Mikhail Aleshin will pit his strength against other pilots at the Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.
