-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
IndyCar
INDYCAR: Conquest Expecting Late Start To Season
“Right now, I think we will have to miss the first four races because everyone says we can’t get an engine before Indy,” Eric Bachelart tells SPEED.com.
Without an engine lease, Conquest Racing's plans for 2012 would be best described as blurry... (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
After celebrating its 10th year as an Indy car entrant last season, Conquest Racing is poised to begin its 11th year in unfamiliar territory.
“Right now, I think we will have to miss the first four races because everyone says we can’t get an engine before Indy so we have to see what we can figure out,” Conquest owner Eric Bachelart told SPEED.com.
“This will be the first time we do not make the first race of the season, but we do want to be at St. Petersburg. But I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel for engines before Indy. ”
As one of Indy car racing’s perennial minnows, Bachelart’s programs have often come together late in the game and it appears this dynamic has limited the Belgian’s options to secure an engine lease.
Although he’s been speaking with Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus since last summer, Bachelart has yet to come to terms with a supplier to power the brand-new Dallara DW12 sitting in his shop in Indianapolis.
“I’ll talk with INDYCAR later this week and we’ll see what is possible and what is not,” he explained, referring to the series’ efforts to place teams like Conquest with an engine manufacturer.
“We have not been able to do anything with our car because we have no engine for it. We would like to be out testing right now, so it’s quite frustrating.”
For all of Bachelart’s frustrations, the driver-turned-owner also recognized that the teams with confirmed sponsors and/or drivers were first in line to receive engine contracts.
As one of few teams without a driver or sponsor, Conquest has lacked the bait needed to land the lease of his desire, but despite his current predicament, Bachelart intends to keep working on a putting together an IndyCar program.
“We still have some exciting discussions about a program with a good driver, so I’m not giving up,” he said. “But until I can confirm I can get an engine, I’m a bit stuck. It’s hard to sell a program when you can’t tell people when your season will begin, or how many races you can do. Right now, we have to plan like the season will start at Indy, but there’s no doubt we want to be there for the first race.”
As one of two existing IndyCar Series entrants without a lease (along with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing), Bachelart said he’d obviously prefer to get the problem resolved immediately, but his struggles haven’t diminished his desire to keep Conquest in the series.
“It’s a weird feeling, but it is what it is,” he said. “I’m not going to cry. It has nothing to do with our will or desire to be in IndyCar. Conquest is very committed to IndyCar. We paid to buy a new car, and I’m not giving up.”
Of the positives in his world, Bachelart expanded his team into sports car racing in the off-season.
Partnered with the French prototype manufacturer Oak Racing to run a factory LMP2 program in the American Le Mans Series, Bachelart will have plenty to do as he prepares Conquest to take part in the 12 Hours of Sebring, held one week before the IndyCar season opener at St. Pete.
“The sports car program is going good,” he said. “We have a partnership with Oak Racing and Morgan, and should have drivers signed [today], so I’m happy to be in the ALMS. It’s a good program for us. I’m excited about it, but I still want to be involved in IndyCar.
“If we have to wait to do everything properly with IndyCar, then that’s what we will do.”
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him @MarshallPruett on Twitter.
“Right now, I think we will have to miss the first four races because everyone says we can’t get an engine before Indy so we have to see what we can figure out,” Conquest owner Eric Bachelart told SPEED.com.
“This will be the first time we do not make the first race of the season, but we do want to be at St. Petersburg. But I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel for engines before Indy. ”
As one of Indy car racing’s perennial minnows, Bachelart’s programs have often come together late in the game and it appears this dynamic has limited the Belgian’s options to secure an engine lease.
Although he’s been speaking with Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus since last summer, Bachelart has yet to come to terms with a supplier to power the brand-new Dallara DW12 sitting in his shop in Indianapolis.
“I’ll talk with INDYCAR later this week and we’ll see what is possible and what is not,” he explained, referring to the series’ efforts to place teams like Conquest with an engine manufacturer.
“We have not been able to do anything with our car because we have no engine for it. We would like to be out testing right now, so it’s quite frustrating.”
For all of Bachelart’s frustrations, the driver-turned-owner also recognized that the teams with confirmed sponsors and/or drivers were first in line to receive engine contracts.
As one of few teams without a driver or sponsor, Conquest has lacked the bait needed to land the lease of his desire, but despite his current predicament, Bachelart intends to keep working on a putting together an IndyCar program.
“We still have some exciting discussions about a program with a good driver, so I’m not giving up,” he said. “But until I can confirm I can get an engine, I’m a bit stuck. It’s hard to sell a program when you can’t tell people when your season will begin, or how many races you can do. Right now, we have to plan like the season will start at Indy, but there’s no doubt we want to be there for the first race.”
As one of two existing IndyCar Series entrants without a lease (along with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing), Bachelart said he’d obviously prefer to get the problem resolved immediately, but his struggles haven’t diminished his desire to keep Conquest in the series.
“It’s a weird feeling, but it is what it is,” he said. “I’m not going to cry. It has nothing to do with our will or desire to be in IndyCar. Conquest is very committed to IndyCar. We paid to buy a new car, and I’m not giving up.”
Of the positives in his world, Bachelart expanded his team into sports car racing in the off-season.
Partnered with the French prototype manufacturer Oak Racing to run a factory LMP2 program in the American Le Mans Series, Bachelart will have plenty to do as he prepares Conquest to take part in the 12 Hours of Sebring, held one week before the IndyCar season opener at St. Pete.
“The sports car program is going good,” he said. “We have a partnership with Oak Racing and Morgan, and should have drivers signed [today], so I’m happy to be in the ALMS. It’s a good program for us. I’m excited about it, but I still want to be involved in IndyCar.
“If we have to wait to do everything properly with IndyCar, then that’s what we will do.”
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him @MarshallPruett on Twitter.
INDYCAR BRAZIL
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
VIDEO: Dyson Tech Talk - Tires 101
The art of going fast: what kind of feedback does a driver want from… -
VIDEO: SPEEDing Through Hinchtown, Episode 2
Andretti Autosport IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe utilizes the… -
LE MANS: Driver Lineups For LM24 Finalized
Seats at Delta-ADR, Morand Racing, JMW Motorsport and others confirmed… -
PHOTOS: V8 Supercars COTA Gallery
UPDATED: View more than 150 photos from Austin as V8 Supercars Austin… -
GT: Black Falcon Mercedes Wins Rain-Soaked Nurburgring 24
Sean Edwards, Bernd Schneider, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Nicki Thiim… -
DAGYS: A Bright Future For V8 Supercars In America
John Dagys reflects back on the successful inaugural Austin 400 and… -
GT: Sofronas, Lee Win Sunday's WC GT, GTS Races At COTA
GMG Racing's James Sofronas takes Audi R8 LMS to third Pirelli World… - More News
