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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Alesi Unites With Fan Force United For Indy
SPEED has learned that Jean Alesi is now going to be driving at Indy for a little Firestone Indy Lights team co-owned by former IRL regular Tyce Carlson.
Former IRL driver Tyce Carlson's FFU outfit will make its IZOD IndyCar Series debut at ROP along with IndyCar and oval rookie Jean Alesi. (Photo: IMS Photo)
There will be at least 33 car/driver combinations for this year’s Indianapolis 500 after all when practice begins next weekend. And a last-minute deal to insure the traditional starting lineup features one of the most unique pairings in recent memory.
SPEED has learned that Jean Alesi, who raced in Formula One for the powerful Ferrari team, is now going to be driving an Indy car for a little Firestone Indy Lights team co-owned by former Indy Racing League regular Tyce Carlson.
It’s believed Lotus is funding the deal and a formal announcement is expected Monday.
But it’s been an on-again, off-again proposition for Alesi, who was penciled into an Indy seat when Lotus confirmed it was going Indy-car racing in 2010. When a deal for Newman/Haas Racing to run him this month fell through a couple of weeks ago, it appeared he was done.
Alesi, who has never driven on an oval track, has continued driving the Dallara simulator and Lotus made a run at Keith Wiggins’ HVM team last week.
"It was so late and it didn’t feel comfortable and I didn’t have enough manpower to build up a car in a week,’’ said Wiggins, who campaigns Simona de Silvestro in the works Lotus effort. "And I didn’t want to detract from Simona’s effort.’’
So Lotus struck a deal to run Alesi with Fan Force United, the Lights team currently run out of the garages of Chris Williams and Carlson, who competed at Indianapolis in 1997 and 1999.
Formerly Alliance Racing, Carlson has two cars entered in this month’s Freedom 100 and wants to branch out into full-time INDYCAR ownership. The North Central High School graduate could not be reached for comment on Saturday night.
The best news for this group is that Greg Beck, a veteran mechanic/owner who has experienced success with rookies in the past, is currently working for FFU.
Alesi, a 47-year-old Frenchman of Italian descent whose lone F1 victory in his 13-year career came in 1995 for Ferrari, made his final F1 start in 2001. He hasn’t raced an open wheel car since but competed in DTM from 2002-2006 before moving on to sports cars.
He was named test driver and ambassador for Lotus Renault GP’s F1 effort in January of 2011.
Alesi will take Rookie Orientation at the Speedway on Thursday along with former F1 rival Rubens Barrichello.
Robin Miller brings 40 years of experience to his role as SPEED.com's senior open-wheel reporter, and serves as a frequent contributor to SPEED Center and Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain.
SPEED has learned that Jean Alesi, who raced in Formula One for the powerful Ferrari team, is now going to be driving an Indy car for a little Firestone Indy Lights team co-owned by former Indy Racing League regular Tyce Carlson.
It’s believed Lotus is funding the deal and a formal announcement is expected Monday.
But it’s been an on-again, off-again proposition for Alesi, who was penciled into an Indy seat when Lotus confirmed it was going Indy-car racing in 2010. When a deal for Newman/Haas Racing to run him this month fell through a couple of weeks ago, it appeared he was done.
Alesi, who has never driven on an oval track, has continued driving the Dallara simulator and Lotus made a run at Keith Wiggins’ HVM team last week.
"It was so late and it didn’t feel comfortable and I didn’t have enough manpower to build up a car in a week,’’ said Wiggins, who campaigns Simona de Silvestro in the works Lotus effort. "And I didn’t want to detract from Simona’s effort.’’
So Lotus struck a deal to run Alesi with Fan Force United, the Lights team currently run out of the garages of Chris Williams and Carlson, who competed at Indianapolis in 1997 and 1999.
Formerly Alliance Racing, Carlson has two cars entered in this month’s Freedom 100 and wants to branch out into full-time INDYCAR ownership. The North Central High School graduate could not be reached for comment on Saturday night.
The best news for this group is that Greg Beck, a veteran mechanic/owner who has experienced success with rookies in the past, is currently working for FFU.
Alesi, a 47-year-old Frenchman of Italian descent whose lone F1 victory in his 13-year career came in 1995 for Ferrari, made his final F1 start in 2001. He hasn’t raced an open wheel car since but competed in DTM from 2002-2006 before moving on to sports cars.
He was named test driver and ambassador for Lotus Renault GP’s F1 effort in January of 2011.
Alesi will take Rookie Orientation at the Speedway on Thursday along with former F1 rival Rubens Barrichello.
Robin Miller brings 40 years of experience to his role as SPEED.com's senior open-wheel reporter, and serves as a frequent contributor to SPEED Center and Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain.
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