Esteban Gutierrez and James Davison are the leading candidates to replace injured Dale Coyne Racing regular Sebastien Bourdais until Sonoma according to RACER. Owner Dale Coyne says he has been inundated with calls from drivers interested in the Frenchman’s temporary seat.
“I’ve had at least 30 drivers call,” said Coyne on Tuesday morning. “I don’t have any other comment than that but Davison is a candidate, certainly.”
Davison subbed admirably for Bourdais at the Indianapolis 500. Davison knows the DCR system and personnel as well as oval racing, a ‘ideal’ prerequisite from Coyne. Starting last for the Indy 500, the Australian eventually led two laps for DCR before contact ended his race after 183 laps. He finished classified P20. Davison previously raced for DCR in 2013 and 2015 competing in three races.
With back-to-back races in Detroit in three days time, the turnaround doesn’t seem viable for Gutierrez.
Detroit is a 2.34-mile street circuit so if Gutierrez could make the race, the Mexican should have little trouble getting up to speed with road course racing. However with two ovals in the next three races at Texas and Iowa, Coyne may not want to go with Gutierrez who has no experience on ovals. Unlike Fernando Alonso who had two weeks of practice time for the Indy 500, Gutierrez will not have that luxury.
The former Formula 1 driver is currently driving for Techeetah Formula E Team in Formula E. In three Formula E starts, beginning in his native Mexico, Gutierrez has finished P10, P8, and P12. He is currently 18th in the Drivers’ Championship with five points.
In full three seasons in F1, Gutierrez drove for Sauber and Haas F1. In 59 F1 starts the 25-year-old has scored only six points.
