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Aston Martin F1 reserve driver Felipe Drugovich “stunned by the pace” in maiden IndyCar check 

Felipe Drugovich was left astonished after a maiden IndyCar testing debut at Barber Motorsports Park with Chip Ganassi Racing last Monday. The Brazilian, who also serves as the reserve driver for Aston Martin’s Formula 1 team, received his first taste of Indy car machinery at the 17-turn natural terrain road course that features roughly 80

Aston Martin F1 reserve driver Felipe Drugovich “stunned by the pace” in maiden IndyCar check 

Felipe Drugovich was left astonished after a maiden IndyCar testing debut at Barber Motorsports Park with Chip Ganassi Racing final Monday.

The Brazilian, who additionally serves because the reserve driver for Aston Martin’s Method 1 staff, obtained his first style of Indy automobile equipment on the 17-turn pure terrain highway course that options roughly 80 toes of elevation change all through its 2.3 miles. He ended up logging 129 laps, with an unofficial finest time of 1m07.631s.

General, there have been loads of surprising however nice experiences for the 2022 Method 2 champion.

“The driving model may be very totally different,” Drugovich informed Motorsport.com. “I used to be stunned by the pace, however on the similar time it was very totally different from what I assumed it could be. I imagined it could be similar to an F2 automobile and even the driving model shouldn’t be that totally different, however the feeling the automobile offers you is extraordinarily totally different from something I’ve ever pushed. The automobile has a distinct geometry, the tires they use are actually good, with a softer sidewall and you are feeling the automobile transferring beneath you much more.

“I feel it was an excellent expertise for me. When it comes to occasions, I did nicely, I drove nicely, I confirmed what I may do. Despite the fact that it’s a check with a rookie driver within the collection, they use it to check the automobile itself, as a result of even there the assessments are very restricted, so we examined plenty of issues for the staff when it comes to setup and so they actually appreciated the suggestions, so I’m very pleased with the outcomes.”

Whereas Chip Ganassi Racing’s newly-crowned three-time IndyCar Collection champion Alex Palou delivered the quickest qualifying lap at 1m05.5862s — which occurred through the opening spherical  again in April on the circuit based mostly in Birmingham, Alabama — it was previous to the up to date hybrid unit. Though the hybrid unit helps enhance an Indy automobile to over 800 horsepower, it additionally provides nicely over 100lbs of weight. 

Palou was a part of a March check with the hybrid at Barber, the place he hit laps slightly below 1m08s. 

“We had a reference,” stated Drugovich, who piloted CGR’s No. 11 Honda-powered entry. “For many who do not know, the Barber spherical this yr was held earlier than that they had upgraded the automobile, which is the hybrid half, so this hybrid within the automobile added nearly 80 kilos and that made it nearly 1 second slower. So, you may’t evaluate the race occasions, however that they had executed a check earlier than that, within the pre-season, with the hybrid already on that observe and the reference that they had I used to be being quicker. It is tough to match this due to the observe circumstances and all the pieces else, particularly as a result of they have been simply beginning out with the hybrid and, logically, they’ve improved since then.

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“For the reason that morning I’ve already been very near the perfect time, utilizing the primary set of tires. In the long run, I began quicker, so I confirmed the staff that I am prepared. It is my first contact with the automobile and I am not 100% [adapted] to single-seaters once more, so I am positive that the longer I keep on this automobile or some other single-seater, I am going to proceed to enhance and get again to my peak.”

Drugovich was additionally fast to notice how the check has furthered curiosity to compete in North America’s premier open-wheel championship, and possibly by as early as 2025.

“Looking forward to subsequent yr, I feel IndyCar is without doubt one of the alternatives,” Drugovich stated. 

“We’re finding out it. They modified the rules, so every staff could have a most of three vehicles. This check was deliberate since final yr. It did not occur earlier than due to scheduling clashes. However it occurred this yr. It was a very cool alternative for me to become involved within the American world of motorsports. I had already executed one thing with Cadillac and Motion Specific (on the 24 Hours of Le Mans), however now I truly examined an IndyCar, which was actually good.”

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