Indy Car

[Castellet]

Actually, thinking back, we were there because his team mate at the time was Jamie Chadwick, who my daughters wanted to meet, and bizarrely just seen that they are both on Pole in the U.S. this weekend.

[Speed Badger]

Amazing for Jamie Chadwick, great Canadian GP, now over the Indycars. Good Sunday evening in my books! Oh dear, pole man spun round at the first corner. Road America is such a good track.

[J6542]

Bumper cars again.

[Sandpit Steve]

Speed Badger said:

Amazing for Jamie Chadwick, great Canadian GP, now over the Indycars. Good Sunday evening in my books! Oh dear, pole man spun round at the first corner. Road America is such a good track.

A great evening of motorsport so far. Brilliant for Jamie earlier, the F1 race was non-stop in changeable conditions, and now one of the best circuits in the US. Indycar is so much better when they race on proper tracks instead of silly street circuits.

[Nova Gyna]

Sandpit Steve said:

A great evening of motorsport so far. Brilliant for Jamie earlier, the F1 race was non-stop in changeable conditions, and now one of the best circuits in the US. Indycar is so much better when they race on proper tracks instead of silly street circuits.

Agree on all points, Steve I don’t watch much Indy, but always make the effort when it’s at Road America.

[scrw.]

How long will Nolan last? With rumours Arrow are leaving is he just a pay driver?
https://www.indycar.com/news/2024/06/06-18-siegel-...

[FourWheelDrift]

scrw. said:

How long will Nolan last? With rumours Arrow are leaving is he just a pay driver?
https://www.indycar.com/news/2024/06/06-18-siegel-...

Probably being tested out after his Le Mans win in LMP2, brought into the McLaren fold with maybe an intent to drive the rumoured McLaren hypercar at Le Mans as part of his Indycar contract. They are always thinking ahead, he's young, experienced, available.

[vaud]

FourWheelDrift said:

scrw. said:

How long will Nolan last? With rumours Arrow are leaving is he just a pay driver?
https://www.indycar.com/news/2024/06/06-18-siegel-...

Probably being tested out after his Le Mans win in LMP2, brought into the McLaren fold with maybe an intent to drive the rumoured McLaren hypercar at Le Mans as part of his Indycar contract. They are always thinking ahead, he's young, experienced, available.

But what was wrong with Pouchaire? Who is young, experienced and they committed to him in only May...

"Arrow McLaren has dropped reigning Formula 2 champion Theo Pourchaire - who it announced for the rest of the season only in May - from its IndyCar team in favour of Indy NXT driver Nolan Siegel, who takes over in a multi-year deal including next season."

[FourWheelDrift]

Didn't know they had dropped Theo, thought they were adding another car.

[vaud]

FourWheelDrift said:

Didn't know they had dropped Theo, thought they were adding another car.

Dropped apparently

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-shock-driver...
https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/pourchaire-...

Autosport reporting it and they are normally reliable.

[Muzzer79]

Yes, they've dropped Pourchaire

Utterly baffling decision - Siegel has done nothing to elevate himself above Pourchaire, who has done very well since his arrival into Indycar and did superbly in F2.

But Tony Kanaan has apparently been quoted as saying he'll stick his job on the line, he's so sure of Siegel.

Rumours that Siegel brings financing, which Theo doesn't. Sad if that's got him in the seat.

[Leithen]

I wonder what Zak Brown's going to say about it?

Pretty poor behaviour on the face of it. There may be more to it all of course.

[vaud]

Leithen said:

I wonder what Zak Brown's going to say about it?

Pretty poor behaviour on the face of it. There may be more to it all of course.

Especially as they only committed to Theo last month. Maybe he had some promised funding that didn't materialise.

[Sandpit Steve]

vaud said:

Leithen said:

I wonder what Zak Brown's going to say about it?

Pretty poor behaviour on the face of it. There may be more to it all of course.

Especially as they only committed to Theo last month. Maybe he had some promised funding that didn't materialise.

That’s possibly the only thing that makes much sense, that the deal involved him bringing sponsorship to the team which never turned up.

[Speed Badger]

Think their career results speak volumes, especially when you consider NS had signed before he took the class win at Le Mans (very good by the way).

Nolan SIEGEL:




Theo POURCHAIRE:

[The Hypno-Toad]

Just a quick thought as I am not up on all the ins and out of the politics.

Maybe Pourchaire has been told that his services might be needed on a more long term basis at Sauber shortly? Bottas out?

[MissChief]

The Hypno-Toad said:

Just a quick thought as I am not up on all the ins and out of the politics.

Maybe Pourchaire has been told that his services might be needed on a more long term basis at Sauber shortly? Bottas out?

Someone said on Twitter that Alpine offered him a seat this season in place of Ocon but I can’t see it.

[Sandpit Steve]

The Hypno-Toad said:

Just a quick thought as I am not up on all the ins and out of the politics.

Maybe Pourchaire has been told that his services might be needed on a more long term basis at Sauber shortly? Bottas out?

Bottas to Indycar and Pourchaire to Sauber might actually work well. Depends if Audi can get Sainz on board, because if not then Bottas probably stays right where he is.

[Castellet]

Muzzer79 said:

Yes, they've dropped Pourchaire.

Rumours that Siegel brings financing, which Theo doesn't. Sad if that's got him in the seat.

Believe Siegel’s family are in the ‘billionaire’ category, but looking at his career, it does look like Indycar was always the strategy.

His Le Mans performance seemed pretty good. Ok their win was a team effort, but he was apparently the 4th fastest driver in class over the fastest 50 laps.

[FourWheelDrift]

Nolan Siegel, last in first practice. David Malukas dropped by Arrow McLaren earlier this year that created this driver swapping is returning with Mayer Shank Racing and was 1s faster.

https://www.indycar.com/Results