RACE ADVANCE NOTES/QUOTES---- Sao Paulo, Brazil, April
26, 2012
Fast Facts:
Oriol Servia
- This weekend will mark Servia's second start for the Sao Paulo
Indy 300. Last year he started 16th and finished 5th.
- At the third round of the season two weeks ago for the Toyota
Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach, California, Servia started
the race 23rd and finished 16th.
- WIX Filters will be the primary on the No. 22 machine this
weekend. Since 1939, Wix has been an innovator in filtration
products. Wix designs, manufactures, and distributes filtration
products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial, and
specialty filter markets. Its product line includes oil, air, cabin
interior, fuel, coolant, transmission, and hydraulic filters for
automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment.
- This will be the first time that Servia has competed for Lotus
DRR, he signed with the team in January. Servia has
been reunited with his engineer, Yves Touron, who he has worked
with in the pastand has a solid relationship with.
- Last year Oriol Finished fourth in IZOD IndyCar Series
standings....Recorded 11 top-10 finishes, with a best of second at
New Hampshire and Baltimore....Among three drivers to be running at
the finish in all 17 races..... Led all drivers in laps completed
(2,103 of 2,011)....Oriol was the only driver to finish in the top
10 in first five races of the season.
Lotus DRR
- This year will be Lotus DRR's 13th season of IndyCar
competition, making them one of the longest tenured teams in the
series.
- This weekend will mark the team's third time to compete at the
Sao Paulo Indy 300.
- In 2010 Mike Conway qualified his car 19th and finished 8th,
Wilson started on the second row in 3rd position and finished 11th,
and Beatriz qualified 22nd and brought the car home in 13th place.
Last year Wilson started 8th and finished 7th and Beatriz started
25th and finished 24th in the race.
- Lotus and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing have reached an amicable
resolution to end their agreement. The two entities had entered
into a contract back in November for Lotus to be the team's engine
supplier in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Lotus remains completely
committed to IndyCar and has worked diligently to rise to the
challenge. Given the circumstances of the regulatory requirement to
supply multiple teams, the late timing of Lotus' entry and the
unanticipated difficulties caused by the change of ownership, Lotus
has made the decision to reduce the number of cars it runs. As a
result, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will run the Lotus engine for
the final time in Brazil.
Oriol Servia, No. 22 Lotus DRR, on Sao Paulo:
"Last year was my first time at Brazil and it was a crazy race in
the rain and we managed to finish fifth. I think that it's one of
the best street tracks that we have with a long straight and a
different type of corner. Unfortunately, the long straight is not
my number one desire right now, but I'm very happy with the
progress that we made with the car in Long Beach and I'm sure we
can keep improving in Sao Paulo. It's always a great race to go to.
Brazilian fans are probably the most passionate in the world and
it's great that we can go and put a race on for them."
Back on Track: Lotus DRR back on track this
weekend for the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 Presented by Nestle in
Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday, April 29th at 12:00 pm ET. The race
will be telecast live on NBC Sports. Please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com
for more updates.