When Mikhail Aleshin and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced a mutual separation with four races to go, it left SPM with a serious driver gap to fill. SPM have had several candidates to choose from and it seems they are taking to a rotation setup. Dale Coyne Racing meanwhile have been unstable since Sebastien Bourdais’ Indianapolis 500 crash. But all that could change in matter of weeks.
In the Notebook, we’ll look at the unintentional silly season caused by Aleshin’s departure. And how soon the #18 car of Bourdais could be under his control again.
Let’s go!
SPM chooses temp driver after Aleshin exit
There are four races left in the IndyCar season: Pocono, Gateway (Madison, IL), Watkins Glen, and Sonoma. It is evenly split, two ovals and two road courses. That provides SPM with some flexibility if they want to try out new drivers.
Motorsport.com are reporting that Sebastian Saavedra, the man who took over the driving duties in Toronto for recently ousted Aleshin has been given the reins for Pocono and Gateway. The final two ovals of the season. The decision to give Saavedra only two races means SPM are still looking for a long-term driver, and could potentially use the last races as test races.
The team could decide to let Saavedra finish out or let other candidates, Oriol Servia and Robert Wickens have a shot. However the team are keeping quiet on their driver selections for Watkins Glen and Sonoma.
SPM thinking long-term driver; seek DTM driver Wickens
DTM Mercedes driver Robert Wickens is quickly becoming a team favorite at SPM. The 28-year-old Canadian has thrown his name into the running as the long-term answer for the #7 SPM-Honda. Wickens tweeted his interest in driving at Watkins Glen and Sonoma, two races where SPM have not announced a driver.
Twitter: I’ve never been to Watkins Glen or Sonoma.. But I hear they’re really nice… https://t.co/hFKav5BBK7 (@robertwickens)
There is mutual and growing interest to potentially pair Wickens up with fellow countryman James Hinchcliffe at SPM; after a drive swap between the two in Italy at Mugello. Wickens tested Hinchcliffe’s IndyCar SPM-Honda, while Hinchcliffe tested Wickens’ DTM HWA-Mercedes. Wickens was also in the #7 for FP1 at Road America.
If Wickens does secure the long-term drive for 2018, it’ll come at a very opportune time as Mercedes are pulling out of DTM after the season. Choosing to focus on their successful Formula 1 and budding Formula E programs. In addition, the introduction of the new aero kits could allow SPM to challenge the bigger IndyCar teams for the championship, all they need is a fast and team-oriented driver.
Bourdais cleared by doctors; racing return TBD
When Bourdais crashed in Indy 500 qualifying, it sent the Frenchman to hospital and created a driver nightmare for DCR. The team drafted in Australian James Davison for the race, but due to scheduling issues he couldn’t qualify, so DCR chose Frenchman Tristan Vautier to qualify for the Indy 500 and Davison to compete in the race.
Then the team signed Esteban Gutierrez as a permanent substitute. After the Detroit double however, he couldn’t get cleared for oval racing due to lack of experience, so Vautier ran in Texas for him. After Texas, Gutierrez has competed in every IndyCar race. And failed to finish higher than P13, in a car Bourdais won in. However the driver carousel may be coming to an end sooner rather than later, if Bourdais’ tweet is anything to go on.
Bourdais tweeted that he has been cleared by doctors and to “let’s go racing”. It is unclear however when his on-track return will be.
Twitter: Some of you might wonder why I was in Indy today… Well, I had the final appointment with Doc and guess what? All clear, let’s go racing! (@BourdaisOnTrack)
The Frenchman had planned to return for Sonoma, but given his all clear by doctors there is potential for the 38-year-old to see race action before at Watkins Glen, if healthy. In addition, he could have a practice run at Gateway, as he did at Mid-Ohio.
