IndyCars: Three race starts for Simona de Silvestro đ„
BUT NOT INDIANAPOLIS A year ago, Simona de Silvestro returned to the US racing series for the Indy 500. Now she will contest three road races this summer in the team of American Beth Baretta in a Dallara Chevrolet.
During testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in anticipation of the upcoming 500-mile race at the end of May, Beth Paretta announced her program for this year. In partnership with Ed Carpenter Racing, Paretta Autosport will enter a Dallara Chevrolet driven by Simona de Silvestro in a tentative three IndyCar rounds: the weekend of June 12 at Road America in Elkart Lake, July 3 at Mid-Ohio and August 7 at the Nashville street circuit. Further appearances thereafter are not ruled out.
Paretta is an all-female crew. Like Penske did last year in Indy, Carpenter now provides technical assistance.
Return to familiar race tracks
Simona de Silvestro has completed 69 IndyCar races to date. In 2013, the 33-year-old from Vaud finished second on the podium at the Houston GP. In 2021, she made her IndyCar comeback in Indianapolis after a six-year absence. Just qualifying with and for Paretta Autosport (gallery left) could be celebrated as a success.
Simona de Silvestro: "I'm looking forward to this new challenge. I was already strong on the planned tracks in the past, which gives me confidence. To return there in the IndyCar cockpit is a joy. I've been training hard physically and feel ready."
Another woman and a strong Swiss in the field
Simona will not be the only woman in the field. Colombian Tatiana CalderĂłn, once a team member of Sauber F1, will contest all IndyCar races in 2022 with AJ Foyt Racing on circuits and street circuits, but not on oval speedways.
Nor will she be the only Swiss on the grid with the Dallara #16 (gallery on the right). Although Romain Grosjean drives and scores points for France, he is a native of Geneva. On April 9, Grosjean finished the Long Beach Grand Prix in second place, just behind championship leader Josef Newgarden. The long-time GP driver's first win seems only a matter of time.
Simona de Silvestro is still a Porsche factory driver. However, she no longer drives in the ADAC GT Masters, and in the Formula E team, like compatriot Neel Jani, she is only a substitute driver.
