Tag Archives: IndyCar Series

Patricio “Pato” O’Ward Signs with Range Media Partners

Posted on by
Reply

Patricio “Pato” O’Ward is expanding his Range…

The 24-year-old Mexican professional auto racer, who competes full-time in the IndyCar Series, has signed with Range Media Partners.

Patricio “Pato” O’WardThe signing comes off the heels of the recent announcement that O’Ward, the Arrow McLaren driver, was named a Formula One Reserve Driver for McLaren F1 for the upcoming 2024 season.

As he speeds towards his racing dreams, Range will be helping O’Ward further expand his media repertoire, building out a larger brand partnerships strategy and a content business across television and film.

Originally from Mexico, O’Ward grew up in San Antonio where he started his racing journey karting at the age of 6.

Seven years later, he began competing in open-wheel racing, including the LATAM Formula 2000, Formula Renault 1.6 NEC and Pacific Formula F2000.

He is the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship champion in the Prototype Challenge class, a two-time class winner at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and a Prototype Challenge class winner at the Twelve Hours of Sebring.

In 2018, O’Ward was named Rookie of the Year after becoming the Indy NXT by Firestone champion (previously known as Indy Lights).

O’Ward had a strong 2023 IndyCar season, including his best starting position to date in the 2023 Indianapolis 500, ultimately finishing fourth in the championship with the most podium finishes (seven) and top five finishes of his career. This success allowed O’Ward to qualify for his FIA Super License, which coupled with his strong performance in the new McLaren Driver Development Programme, helped pave the way for his recent promotion to McLaren’s reserve driver pool for 2024.

Tatiana Calderon to Become First Woman to Compete for AJ Foyt Racing in This Year’s IndyCar Series

Posted on by
Reply

Tatiana Calderon ready to fill a void in IndyCar racing…

The 28-year-old Colombian racing driver will drive for AJ Foyt Racing this season as the first woman to compete regularly in the IndyCar Series since 2013.

Tatiana CalderonCalderon will drive a third Indy car for Foyt on the street and road courses alongside Dalton Kellett and Indy Lights champion Kyle Kirkwood. A driver for the oval races in the No. 11 was not announced Monday.

Calderon will be sponsored by ROKiT Group, a media company that has also committed to sponsoring fellow rookie Kirkwood this season.

IndyCar has not had a female driver consistently compete in the series since Simona de Silvestro in 2013, although de Silvestro did run the Indy 500 last season for a team comprised primarily of women.

Calderon becomes the first woman to compete for Foyt, the iconic four-time Indianapolis 500 winner who turned 87 on Sunday. Foyt was one of the very few who showed grace to Janet Guthrie when she began her quest to become the first woman to run the Indy 500 almost 50 years ago.

As Guthrie attempted to prove her readiness to series officials during a 1976 test in a slow, uncompetitive car, Foyt kindly allowed her to turn laps in his backup. The faster machine allowed Guthrie to get up to speed and earn the right to attempt to qualify for the 500, although Foyt never fielded a car for the trailblazer.

With support from the ROKiT Group, Foyt will now have a woman in one of his cars. ROKiT has supported Calderon since 2020 when she competed in the World Endurance Championship and Super Formula Japan.

“One of our fundamental principles in the overall marketing of the ROKiT brand worldwide is our support and promotion of women in motorsport and, as part of that principle, we’ve supported Tatiana for a long time now,” CEO Jonathan Kendrick said. “We recognized her talent and charisma early on, which we’ve seen grow and develop.

“We know Tatiana is already a role model to many young female drivers around the world and we think the huge exposure of the IndyCar Series will serve only to increase her reach even further to become an inspiration to many more women to get involved in motorsports.”

Calderon spent the last two seasons competing in Super Formula in Japan for Threebond Drago Corse and for Richard Mille Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship. She has also been a Formula One test driver for Alfa Romeo the past four years.

Born in Bogota and currently living in Madrid, Calderon tested the No. 14 Chevrolet at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Ohio last July to start the process for her to join IndyCar.

“Ever since I started my single seater career in the United States 11 years ago, IndyCar has been a reference for me and it’s a dream come true to be on the grid this year,” she said. “I’m well aware of the challenge ahead, but this is the chance of a lifetime and I’m keen on making the most of it.”

Calderon will test with Kirkwood at Sebring Raceway in Florida this week. The season opens February 27 on the street course in St. Petersburg.

Alonso & Montoya to Face Off Once Again at This Year’s Indy 500

Posted on by
Reply

It’s a race back in time for Fernando Alonso and Juan Pablo Montoya…

The 35-year-old Spanish Formula One racer and the 41-year-old Colombian IndyCar Series driver will roll back the years and battle together once again at the Indy 500 on May 28.

Fernando Alonso & Juan Pablo Montoya

Alonso is missing the Monaco Grand Prix to drive at the Brickyard, which will see him race against a number of familiar faces — including Montoya, who also made his Formula One debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix.

Despite spells with Williams and McLaren, Montoya never replicated Alonso’s title-winning success in F1 and had to make do with seven grand prix victories.

Montoya came into F1 having won the Indy 500 and CART championship in 2000 and has won the prestigious oval race more recently, in 2015. Alonso holds the Colombian in high regard from their days together in F1.

“I take Juan Pablo as one of the best drivers in the world, one of the most talented drivers I ever competed against,” Alonso said. “So to come here and drive together in the super speedway will be a massive thing for me.

“Hopefully I can learn as much as I can… I’m watching a lot of his onboard cameras because I think he’s one of the best out there. So really looking forward to talk to him and have some dinners with him at Indy because any tips would be welcome for him.”

Montoya says the chance to race Alonso, the 2005 and 2006 world champion, again was something he would not have expected at this stage of the Spaniard’s career.

“If you would have told me I was going to win a race ever against Alonso, it would be an endurance race or something, not in Indy to be honest,” Montoya said. “I think it’s great. I think having Fernando is going to be a really good day for motorsports, not only for IndyCar, but I think the attention overall for seeing Fernando and myself and everybody running Indy is going to be really big.”

Montoya says Alonso will have a steep learning curve if he wants to get to grips with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in time for the race.

“The biggest challenge is going to be first he has never done a race that is that long, and the traffic. He is going to have to learn and understand the traffic. I think if he is patient enough through the week and builds to it, I think he will be fine.

“He is a really good driver. He has really good teammates. People have run at Indy before and run well. There is no reason why he shouldn’t run well.”

Montoya Wins IndyCar Series Race at Pocono Raceway

Posted on by
Reply

Juan Pablo Montoya is back at the top of the podium in the IndyCar Series.

The 38-year-old Colombian racing driver won the IndyCar race Sunday at Pocono Raceway, the highlight of a triumphant return to open-wheel racing after seven years in NASCAR.

Juan Pablo Montoya

Montoya won for the first time in the CART/IndyCar Series since 2000 and had his first major victory since he won a road-course race at Watkins Glen in NASCAR in 2010.

Helio Castroneves was second to make it a 1-2 finish Sunday for Team Penske. With double points awarded in the 500-mile races, Castroneves moved into a tie for the points lead with Team Penske teammate Will Power.

Carlos Munoz, Ryan Briscoe and Scott Dixon completed the top five.

Montoya, who won from the pole, took the lead for good when Tony Kanaanwas forced to pit for fuel with four laps left. Montoya took it from there and continued to stamp himself a player in the championship hunt. He moved to fourth in the standings.

“As soon as we signed him, I knew he would be an asset for us, and a headache,” Castroneves said.

Montoya, the 1999 CART champion and 2000 Indianapolis 500, winner took the checkered flag to the sight of hundreds of Colombian fans waving the flag and cheering him on.

It was just the kind of scene he pictured when he decided to head home to open wheel. Montoya wanted a competitive ride again after lackluster results driving for Chip Ganassi in NASCAR. He knew his open-wheel return would have a learning curve: Montoya last ran in CART in 2000, then left Formula One midway through the 2006 season for NASCAR.

After only two top 10s in his first seven starts, Montoya reeled off a third, second and seventh in his past three. Now, he has the win needed to erase any lingering doubts that has move back to open wheel was the right one.