TEAM UPDATE 05 \\ 20

INDY 500_QUALIFYING_REVIEW

JHR overcome tense qualifying finale to secure coveted INDY 500 grid slots

Mission accomplished. Juncos Hollinger Racing has secured its place on the grid for next Sunday’s iconic INDY 500 (May 28) after a tense qualifying session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway today. Rookie Agustín Canapino will start from P27 while team-mate Callum Ilott will be just behind in P28.

With only 33 slots available on the grid and the need to avoid elimination via tomorrow’s four-way ‘bump day’ battle, the team took the brave decision to replace the chassis on Callum’s car last night. It was a bold move but one the team felt it had to make to improve the mechanical performance of the #77 Dallara-Chevrolet.

Working through the night, the JHR engineers and mechanics delivered on their commitment to the INDY 500 cause and delivered Callum’s car back to the ‘Brickyard’ in time for the Briton to get 14 valuable laps under his belt during this morning’s practice session.

Qualifying started in cool and blustery conditions, but as blue skies appeared over the racing capital of the world, track speeds increased nicely.

Callum was drawn as the 23rd driver to run their four-lap qualifying attempt and the Briton duly returned an average speed of 227.72mph.

Agustín later turned heads with his spectacular special edition Argentina livery as the 33rd driver to tackle the 2.5-mile oval. The Argentinian rookie gave no indication of this being his first INDY 500 experience, recording an impressive average speed of 231.32mph.

After choosing to complete an additional four-lap run to try and improve his qualification chances, Callum hooked things up and improved to an average of 231.18mph across the 10-mile distance.

Agustín also attempted to move further up the rankings, but an ambitious dive into turn one resulted in contact with the outside wall and his chance had gone.

With both cars locked in and on the grid for the 107th running of the INDY 500 next week, the team now has two more practice sessions – on Monday and Friday – to fine-tune its race set-up and prepare for the biggest race on the NTT INDYCAR Series calendar.

P28
\\ CALLUM ILOTT

“It feels great to have made the race, as it was looking a bit difficult – especially a week ago. Coming here is not easy, and we’ve been through some wars. We changed the chassis last night and had a big unknown going into today. But we pulled it off.

“There’s a bit more to achieve, to get the car into a good window, but I’m super happy to be on the grid. It’s been a lot of hard work and what everyone behind the scenes has been working so hard to achieve, so a big thanks to the entire Juncos Hollinger Racing team and Chevrolet.”

P27 \\ AGUSTIN
CANAPINO

“Qualifying has finished for the first day and I’m very proud for my team and very happy that I’m going to be racing in the INDY 500 for the first time in my life. Now it’s time to focus on the race and I’ll do my best to finish in the strongest possible position.”

TP \\ RICARDO
JUNCOS

“I’m very happy to have both cars in the INDY 500. I cannot find the words; anybody can imagine what this means for us.

“We had a difficult situation with Callum yesterday. We decided to change the chassis, which was a late call, but I felt that we had to do it. I want to thank all the mechanics and engineers because it was an outstanding job from them and a lot of effort.

“Today, Agustín did everything we asked of him and I’m very pleased he’s made it onto the grid with his magnificent Argentina livery. We have two really talented drivers. We thought we’d have the car to be top 20 or more, but today the set up wasn’t nailed.

“To be part of the INDY 500 once again though, with two cars, is a dream come true for myself and Brad [Hollinger] as team owners. It’s a big step forward for us. Now, we need to keep working for the rest of the week to have a good race car, because I think we have a chance to have a decent race.

“Finally, I want to thank every team member, both drivers, all of our team sponsors, and all of our family members for their great support.”

TEAM UPDATE 05 \\ 17

INDY 500_QUALIFYING_PREVIEW

JHR prepare for INDY 500 qualifying

Preparation for the greatest spectacle in motorsports is underway. Callum Ilott and Agustín Canapino will take to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval for INDY 500 qualifying this weekend (May 20-21), before the sixth round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is contested next Sunday (May 28).

The start of INDY 500 qualifying at the ‘Brickyard’ kicks off the most important week of the season for Juncos Hollinger Racing at its home track. The 2.5-mile oval contains four corners, each banked at nine degrees to provide close racing at more than 220mph.

A massive 23 hours of practice time will be afforded to the teams, with qualifying to be split across two days this weekend. A field of 34 drivers will be fighting to secure a coveted place on the INDY 500 grid. But with space for only 33, one will be painfully eliminated on Sunday.

JHR is entering two drivers for the first time this year, with Argentine rookie Agustín set to carry the colors of Argentina’s flag on his #78 Dallara-Chevrolet. His distinctive new livery is the result of a strategic partnership between JHR and the Argentine Football Association (AFA).

Callum’s experience at last year’s INDY 500, paired with his recent success on the ovals, will give the Briton valuable confidence heading into this weekend’s qualifying. He scored the team’s best-ever result on the Texas Motor Speedway oval earlier this year, finishing P9.

77 \ CALLUM ILOTT

“Having the experience of competing at last year’s INDY 500 will be good to fall back on, as we know how to approach the occasion well, and as a driver I know what the procedure is.

“To make a good qualifying lap, you’ve got to be smooth, fast, and to have the car on the limit between downforce and drag as the tires will be cooking by lap four. As a result, it will be about preserving everything in the right window.

“I want to improve on my qualifying result of P19 last year, so I will see how far I can push the car to get the most out of it.”

78 \ AGUSTIN CANAPINO

“It will be my first qualifying for the INDY 500, so I will have to learn everything. I’ll do my best during practice, as it will be important to prepare the car and setup for a good lap on Saturday so I can qualify for the race next weekend. There will be pressure, but I will try to do a good lap by finding the limits of the car during the week.”

TP \ RICARDO JUNCOS

“Arriving at Indy for practice, Agustín has a brand-new car that has not previously tested on the Indy oval. Last time he used his car from Texas. So, with this being the first time the car has been on track, it will be important to make sure that everything works as expected. Callum’s car also has a new gearbox and differential so it’s vital we run that properly before quali to make sure everything is fine.

“We will keep working hard as we progress through practice this week and then look forward to ‘Fast Friday’. That’s the day where we will throw everything that we have towards a qualifying setup, so we’re in the best possible position for the weekend. We’re all excited and looking forward to a great INDY 500.”

P18 – Callum Ilott

“It was a tough race today. We had a first couple of stints that weren’t the best because we were struggling with the tyres, but then we did manage to pull it back a bit at the end with some better pace. However, when you’re out of position, it doesn’t make it easy to make too much progress. I wish we could have got a little bit more out of the weekend but sometimes it can be like that. We need to analyse the data and make it better for the next one.”

P22 – Agustín Canapino

“Finishing P21, I’m pretty happy with the race and the weekend because I learned lots and completed the distance. Of course, we always want more but I did the best race I could. Now the attention turns to the INDY 500 in a couple of weeks. I’m really happy to be here for that and we’ll be pushing hard for such a famous race.”

Ricardo Juncos

“From an INDYCAR perspective, it was a very tough weekend for us and we never got the performance from the car for the drivers. But I thought they both did a great job. They were both strong on the black tires, but running the reds was more of a struggle. That was a bit of a surprise for us. But I’m proud for my people because we continue to learn and improve – even when the results are not as we expected. Big thanks to our partners for their continued support this season: Visit Argentina, MindMaze, Termas de Rio Hondo and
Purdue University.”

TEAM UPDATE 05 \\ 11

GMR Grand Prix: Home comforts await Juncos Hollinger Racing

An iconic month of racing begins at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend (May 12-13), as Juncos Hollinger Racing takes to the ‘Brickyard’ road course for round five of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

The GMR Grand Prix is the traditional precursor to the biggest race on the calendar and the next fixture to be held in JHR’s home city during the month of May: the INDY 500 (May 28).

For this weekend, the team – which is based less than a mile from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway gates – will be hoping to repeat its form at last year’s GMR Grand Prix.

Callum Ilott claimed an impressive P8 finish during the 2022 race, and the Briton arrives at this weekend’s event fresh from a P13 result in his last road course race at Barber Motorsports Park.

For team-mate Canapino, the target will once again be to maintain his confident start to his debut INDYCAR season and to gain more valuable mileage and experience in America’s premier open-wheel racing category.

The track configuration for this weekend’s 85-lap race takes drivers down the front straight of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and through portions of Turns 1 and 2 before peeling off onto the circuit infield. Each lap measures 2.4 miles.

#77 \\ CALLUMILOTT

“Last year, this was a good weekend for us. We were very close to breaking into the Fast 6 during qualifying and started P7. It was my first wet race in INDYCAR and a totally new experience but it proved to be a strong race for us. We lost out a little bit on the strategy, but I think we’re a lot stronger on that side this season. The field is so tight and the Indy road course is a place where you can’t make a single mistake, especially in qualifying. I’m looking forward to the weekend and hopefully everything goes in the right direction.”

#78\\ AGUSTIN CANAPINO

“We are going into the weekend with the same objective as always, to continue accumulating experience and try to finish the race in the best possible position. Indy GP is a short track where there are usually very few differences between the drivers, so it will surely be a weekend where every tenth of a second is very valuable to gain positions. There is also a forecast of rain, so anything can happen.”

TP\\ RICARDO JUNCOS

“For me, we’re entering a very special time in the season for racing at our home in Indianapolis. The Indy GP starts to give everyone a good vibe for the Indy 500 which will be happening next. Being only four blocks from the track, it feels like we’re racing in our own back yard.

“Last year we showed a lot of speed with Callum during two races on the Indy road course so I’m looking forward to something similar this time. We’ve developed a very good race car so far this year and, as a team, we continue to evolve our protocols, pit stops, and strategies to keep improving. For Agustín, it’s another new track but I think he’s going to have more of an advantage this weekend because the road course is like the tracks he’s raced on before in Argentina.

“Finally, I want to thank every member of the Juncos Hollinger family that continues to put in so much effort and many, many hours to make sure everything is perfect for the races. It’s a real team effort and it makes me so proud to see everyone pushing in the same direction.

“This weekend we welcome Rasmus Lindh to our INDY NXT line up. We almost won the PRO Mazda championship with him in 2019 and he raced with us at the final three Indy Lights races in 2021. He’s a very fast and talented driver and we’re looking forward to having him join Matteo Nannini in our team. After a couple of difficult races this season, I’m hoping our INDY NXT guys can shine and show what we can do.”

Source: Team PR

Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Agustín Canapino will proudly carry the colors of the Argentine flag on his #78 Dallara-Chevrolet when he goes into battle at the INDY 500 later this month (May 28).

The stunning blue and white livery is expected to be one of the stars of the show at the sixth round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and reflects the colors of Agustín’s home country flag.

The livery is the result of a strategic partnership between the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) – with the collaboration of Visit Argentina, the international tourism promotion brand of Inprotur.

As well as honoring the Argentine flag, the livery will also feature design elements that celebrate Argentina’s success at the 2022 World Cup.

Claudio Tapia, President of the AFA, said: “Generating actions such as the ones we are celebrating today highlight the union between Argentines through sport. To be able to unite two great passions such as soccer and motor racing in a foreign territory is a demonstration of teamwork. The AFA is proud to support an Argentine driver in the iconic INDY 500 race and wishes the best of luck to Agustín Canapino and the Juncos Hollinger Racing team.”

Ricardo Juncos, President and co-owner of JHR, said: “As an Argentinean, I am proud to have the colors of my country and the Argentinean Football Association with us for this edition of the INDY 500 race. To be able to bring together the two greatest passions of Argentines, together with the AFA and Agustín Canapino, in the most important and oldest event in the history of world motorsport, the 500, is a dream come true. I believe it will undoubtedly be a historic event for the sport in our country, which beyond any result will remain in everyone’s memory.”

Ricardo Sosa, Executive Secretary of Inprotur, said: “This presentation makes it possible for us to continue making our country visible in the world. We have been doing this since the first INDYCAR race of 2023, promoting the tourist benefits of Argentina in the United States. Now, with this car in the Argentine colors, it’s possible to create a great impact at the biggest motor race in the world, and show the passion of soccer and motor racing coming together – two things that generate a great feeling in Argentina. It will also be a proud moment to see the race clothing of Agustín Canapino and the team’s mechanics following the guidelines of the Argentinean national soccer team at the INDY 500.”

Agustín will be making his INDY 500 debut at the 107th running of the event. The 33-year-old is one of the most successful drivers in Argentine motor racing, having won 15 national titles.

He is only the second racing driver in history to win the prestigious Olimpia de Oro (Argentina’s sports person of the year award). Previous winners include Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Juan Martín Del Potro.

Agustín Canapino, JHR driver, said: “It is a great honor and a great pride to represent the world champions in the oldest and most important motor racing competition on the planet. For me, it is a dream come true twice over: participating in the INDY 500 as well representing our national team, which brings so much joy to the Argentineans. It will be my first time in this race and although our goal is to qualify and finish the race, we will do every lap with all the desire to finish in the best possible position. Many thanks to the AFA and Juncos Hollinger Racing for allowing me to live this
great dream.”

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the top open-wheel racing series in the United States, with drivers competing on ovals, traditional road courses and street circuits. The first edition of the INDY 500 took place in 1911, and the race has grown to be one of the biggest events in the world motor sports calendar.

The stage is set. On May 28, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will provide the backdrop for a moment that will be marked forever in the history of Argentine sport. The sporting success written by the country, which has been maximized by the World Cup success in Qatar 2022 and followed by several events like this one, will help Argentina continue to place itself at the highest and most competitive level in the world.

TEAM UPDATE 04 \\ 29

CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA GRAND PRIX_QUALIFYING_REVIEW

Callum and Agustín content after Alabama qualifying

Callum Ilott will start tomorrow’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix from P15, while Juncos Hollinger Racing team-mate Agustín Canapino will line up P22 on the grid.

Both men drove in separate qualifying groups at Barber Motorsports Park this afternoon and couldn’t quite find the performance they needed to break into the ‘Fast 12’ on the undulating 2.3-mile road course.

Using Firestone’s red-walled soft tire, Callum was eighth quickest in his group as he recorded a best lap of 1m 06.064s. The Briton was 0.475s off the ultimate pace in his #77 machine.

Agustín meanwhile, showed solid speed on his first visit to Barber. The Argentine rookie’s time of 1m 06.515s was nine tenths shy of the benchmark as his 10-minute session came to an end.

P15 \\ CALLUM ILOTT

“So, we start from P15. The car felt quite good and we improved a lot. It’s just missing in one or two areas right now. But overall, I’m happy with the progress we’ve been making and we’re heading in the right direction. I think this is a better track for us, especially in the race, and I think we’ll be okay. We’ve got a few things to work on overnight and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” 

P22 \\ AGUSTIN CANAPINO

“It was a good qualifying session and I’m really happy with the result. We improved a lot from practice to this point, so we will start tomorrow from P22 ahead of some much more experienced guys than me. Overall, I’m happy with that and tomorrow the ambition is to do a good race.”  

TP \\ RICARDO JUNCOS

“I think we’ve improved the car a lot, bearing in mind we’re using different tires to last year, so we’re catching up a little bit. We were much faster on both cars this morning and I think Agustín was much happier in qualifying and I think Callum is happy also. For sure, we need to improve ahead of the warm-up tomorrow and continue the trend of finding more speed through the weekend. I’m looking forward to a good race tomorrow.”

Source: Team PR

Long Beach weekend fails to deliver for JHR
Two separate bits of contact derailed Juncos Hollinger Racing’s hopes of taking a pair of solid results away from the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this afternoon.

Drivers Callum Ilott and Agustín Canapino knew they had good race pace in their cars and were keen to put a frustrating qualifying session behind them when the third round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES got underway in California.

But Callum hit trouble on lap 7 when his #77 Dallara-Chevrolet ran wide at Turn 1 and hit the wall. The impact damaged the front-right wheel and Callum was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop for repairs. He rejoined the action in P26 – a lap down.

Rookie Agustín made a confident start to his first race on the tricky Long Beach street course and was running in P23 as the laps were chalked off. However, the Argentine suffered contact as he diced with a rival when the race went green after a caution period on lap 26.

Agustín was unable to prevent his #78 machine from making contact with the trackside wall and the resultant damage to the front-left wheel and suspension needed to be repaired in the pits. He did return to the track to complete more valuable running but was classified in P25 – 33 laps in arrears.

Callum meanwhile, crossed the finishing line in P19 to maintain his 100% finishing record so far this season.

Callum Ilott – No. 77

“It wasn’t a great race and not a good weekend overall. We were kind of on the back foot since the crash in Practice 2 and it wasn’t an easy one.

“Sometimes it’s like that and it was a culmination of things that just kept adding together. It’s a bit disappointing and we knew this was going to be a tough one anyway car-wise.

“It’s going to be quite nice to move onto Barber in a couple of weeks and back where we expect we’ll be stronger.”

Agustín Canapino – No. 78

“Unfortunately, we had bad luck at the moment when my race ended. I lost some time when Callum came out the pits on cold tyres and in that moment [Hélio] Castroneves tried to overtake me and I didn’t know he was one lap down.

“My car touched the wall and it broke. It was a shame because we had a good car today with the black tyres, but this is racing and this type of thing can happen.

“Now, we try to learn from this incident and come back stronger for the next race in Barber.”

“The weekend didn’t go as we expected. We had so much pace in the cars and that was a big improvement on last year, but the weekend started badly after qualifying and the race was also difficult with contact for both drivers.

“It’s a tough weekend to digest because the pace was there, but we just couldn’t show it.

“I want to thank everyone in the team because even when we have some tricky moments, the chemistry is always there. It’s also great to see Callum and Agustín working so well together and pulling hard for the team.

“As a unit, we’re learning all the time and making progress – I’m happy with that. We’ll put this weekend quickly behind us and look forward to the INDY 500 test and the next race in a couple of weeks.”

Source: Team PR

Qualifying for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach proved challenging for Juncos Hollinger Racing earlier today, meaning Callum Ilott will start tomorrow’s race in P22 and team-mate Agustín Canapino will line up P26.

The third round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES got underway with two practice sessions on the 1.96-mile street course, and Callum’s P8 finish during the opening exchanges on Friday gave the team reason to be optimistic.

But both drivers suffered contact with the wall – Agustín in Practice 1 on Friday and Callum in Practice 2 on Saturday – meaning their preparation for qualifying was reduced. Callum missed almost all of Practice 2 when his #77 machine was unexpectedly launched into the tyre wall at Turn 5.

Despite having reduced track time and less of an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Firestone rubber they’ll use during Sunday’s Grand Prix, both men are targeting a stronger performance on race day.

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is scheduled to go green at 15.30 ET.

Callum Ilott – No. 77

“It’s been a frustrating day and I think we were stuffed by not having any knowledge of the track changes where I went off in Practice 2. I approached that corner in the same way as I had yesterday (Friday) and this time I got bitten on the arse.

“Not having any experience of the greens (tire) meant we went into qualifying a bit blind and the car just wasn’t in the right window. I managed to scrap a reasonable lap time out of it but it wasn’t ideal.

“It’s been a tough day for everyone, but tomorrow’s a new one and we have to make sure we’re on top of it for the race so we can try and work our way forward.”

Agustín Canapino – No. 78

“I think it’s been a good qualifying for my first time in Long Beach – one second off the leader which isn’t bad.

“I struggled a little bit on my second outing with the new tyres, but I’m happy with the start to my weekend.

“Tomorrow, I hope we can have a good race and take some points.”

Ricardo Juncos

“It’s been a very difficult weekend so far. Yesterday, we were really fast with Callum and everything was looking really good. Then Agustín hit the wall and that put him completely outside.

“Today, the race track changed because they added some kerbing in one of the corners which wasn’t there yesterday. Callum hit the bottom of the car on it and crashed. So, that meant he missed the whole session and we lost the practice with the green tires.

“So the first time we used the car with the green tires was in qualifying and we had massive understeer. That showed in our quali times, but I think the pace with the black tires was really strong for both drivers and we’re looking forward for the race tomorrow.

“Big thanks to the team for fixing Callum’s car in time for qualifying. It was a big team effort and I’m happy to see that.”

Best-ever INDYCAR results for Juncos Hollinger Racing at St. Pete

Team gets its 2023 NTT INDYCAR season off to a flying start with P5 and P12 finishes in Florida

Indianapolis, Indiana March 6, 2023 – Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) scored its best-ever results in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES yesterday as Callum Ilott finished P5 and Argentine rookie Agustín Canapino secured P12 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

The opening race weekend of 2023 gave newly-rebranded and re-energized Juncos Hollinger Racing an opportunity to show its mettle on the St. Pete street circuit that is well known for pushing man and machine to the limit.

Sadly, the opening practice sessions and qualifying runs didn’t return the lap times the team had hoped for. That meant Agustín’s #78 Visit Argentina car started Sunday’s race from P21, just ahead of team-mate Callum in the #77 Dallara-Chevrolet.

With 27 cars battling for position on the narrow St. Pete circuit, the first race of the season proved to be a frenetic encounter, punctuated by five separate caution periods and restarts. But Callum and Agustín worked hard to stay in the thick of the action and continue moving forward.

Building on the valuable experience he gained as a full-season rookie in 2022, Callum finished P5 – only 8.26 seconds behind winner Marcus Ericsson. His result handed JHR its best-ever finish in the category.

And despite having had no previous open-wheel racing experience, Agustín – a multiple Argentine touring car champion – defied the odds to impressively complete his debut INDYCAR race on the lead lap in P12.

Moving from P22 to P5 meant Callum gained more places than any other driver on the grid, a feat that earned the Briton INDYCAR’S ‘Jostens Biggest Mover’ award after the race.

Callum Ilott said:

“P5 really wasn’t what I was expecting. St. Pete was probably one of our weakest races last year so to come in and improve like we have is amazing. We had a tough Saturday, but starting P22 and coming all the way to P5 was great. It wasn’t an easy race and I had to take it fairly easy because there were lots of people making mistakes – especially on the restarts. But I managed to keep it clean, avoid the incidents and get some overtakes done. I’m super happy and big thanks to everyone in the team that did an amazing job.”

Agustín Canapino said:

“I’m really happy to have finished P12, on the lead lap and with a good pace, especially at the end. For me it was an enormous challenge, more than 2h 30m in the car with huge temperatures and driving the most demanding racing car in the world. I can’t believe how everything came together. I suffered in the restarts with cold tires and with my physical condition, but I’m happy I could manage these things to finish. Massive thanks to the whole team for a fantastic weekend. It’s one I’ll remember for a long time.”

Ricardo Juncos, JHR team principal and joint owner, said:

“This was by far the best weekend in the history of our team in INDYCAR. It was an outstanding performance by Callum and Agustín.

“Most importantly for me and Brad [Hollinger] as joint team owners, is seeing how hard everyone’s worked since the last race in 2022 to the first race in 2023. It’s been a massive undertaking for everyone. We have a great group of people and we couldn’t be prouder of them. This is the result of everyone working together with the same passion and philosophy. Thanks to all the team members and our sponsors. They make everything possible.

“This is the beginning of a new adventure for Juncos Hollinger Racing and I think the results we’ve taken from St. Pete give us a great platform to establish a very solid racing team.”

Juncos Hollinger Racing also took part in the INDY NXT by Firestone race at St. Pete. Reece Gold ended the 40-lap in the same position that he started – P8 – while team-mate Matteo Nannini retired after suffering contact on lap 34. He qualified P9 and was classified P15.

All four JHR drivers will next be in action on April 1-2 when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES contenders visit the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway for the PPG 375. INDY NXT by Firestone will be back in action at the end of April when both series take on 2.3 mile Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.

Indianapolis, Indiana March 3, 2023 – Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) will get its 2023 racing campaign underway at the St. Petersburg street circuit in Florida this weekend.

The rejuvenated squad, which is racing with a new mission statement – The Power of Possibility – will field two cars in the headline NTT INDYCAR SERIES for Britain’s Callum Ilott and Argentine rookie Agustín Canapino. It will also return to the INDY NXT by Firestone category (formerly Indy Lights) with rising stars Matteo Nannini and Reece Gold.

Both sets of drivers have completed a rigorous pre-season testing programme and are now ready to put that experience into practice at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this weekend.

INDYCAR and INDYNXT qualifying will take place Saturday, before racing on the bumpy and demanding, 14-turn street circuit gets underway on Sunday (March 5). The INDYCAR race will go green at midday (Eastern) and drivers will cover a 100-lap distance, while the INDYNXT battle will start slightly earlier at 09.50 and last for 45 laps.

Callum Ilott, driver of the #77 JHR Dallara-Chevrolet said:

“Testing was promising and positive. I think we’ve made a few small gains compared to last year and that’s made a difference. I feel in a good position and more comfortable and confident with the car. Having been a rookie last year, I’m coming into the new season understanding the process of the race weekend and with a good idea of the strong and weak points of our car. That makes it easier to prepare for what’s to come.  

“Looking at St. Pete, qualifying will give us a good idea of the pace we have out of the box and what’s possible. If we put the qualifying together, we should be on for a good race. I’ll be pushing for the top-ten straight away – and maybe even more. We’ll see.”

Agustín Canapino, driver of the #78 JHR Dallara-Chevrolet said:

“I think the team is doing very well after very good pre-season sessions at Thermal and Sebring. Personally, I will go into this weekend’s first race with the same philosophy I had during testing: to go step-by-step and learn. There is a lot for me to adjust to.

“Coming from a career in Argentine touring cars, everything is very different – particularly the high downforce and the carbon brakes on the INDYCAR. Also, the physicality of driving these cars is an enormous challenge. The car is demanding and the races are long.

“It will be a great honour for me to represent Argentina in a championship that has many of the best drivers in the world, and is one of the most demanding and competitive categories in motorsports.”

Ricardo Juncos, JHR team principal and co-owner, said:

“The results in testing were very pleasing for our team. Callum and Agustín clearly have very different racing experience but what we’ve discovered is their driving style and feedback is quite similar. That’s a huge advantage for the engineers when they’re comparing data and analyzing set-ups to get the best out of each car. We’re feeling very good about the work we’ve done so far and we hope it continues at St. Pete.

“With Callum, we’ll be trying to start the season in the same positive way that he finished at Laguna Seca where he almost took pole position. It was a very strong period and we’ll be working hard to make sure all the team can work together and build towards that kind of speed again.

“For Agustin, it will be a very different approach. He’ll try to learn as much as he can and do as many laps as possible at St. Pete. That will be a great starting point for him going forward in the championship and gives his #78 car a solid foundation as we continue our work to be a top team in INDYCAR.”