BELARDI AUTO RACING READY FOR INDY LIGHTS HOMESTEAD TEST
Race winner Zach Veach to be joined by Felix Rosenqvist on Florida road course
BROWNSBURG, IN (January 22, 2015) – Belardi Auto Racing is ready to break cover at Homestead-Miami Speedway next week to begin their quest to regain the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship that they won in 2014 with Gabby Chaves. The team announced the popular signing of series race winner Zach Veach back in November and the young American will be joined by reigning European F3 champion Felix Rosenqvist on the 2.21-mile 14-turn road course on January 26-27. This is the first official test of the 2016 season and the Mazda Road to Indy technical staff will be trackside to make sure the cars are legal and the drivers are primed and ready to go.
Veach will be making his return to the Indy Lights circuit after taking a year off pursuing an IndyCar seat, and his re-focus on the top level of the Mazda Road to Indy has put him behind the wheel of the new Dallara IL-15 that debuted last year. Veach was back up to speed quickly in his initial off-season tests with the Belardi operation in south Florida, and he is itching to return to the seat to continue preparing for the season, which will kick off on March 11-13 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, an event that Veach won in 2014. An opportunity to win the Indy Lights championship and the lucrative scholarship that includes three IndyCar races, including the Indianapolis 500, is certainly the prime motivator from the young 21-year-old Ohio native.
Rosenqvist, an extremely talented 24-year-old Swedish driver, comes to the Homestead test with Belardi Auto Racing having impressed with Team Pelfrey at Palm Beach in December. The reigning European Formula 3 champion tested with GP2 outfits Status Grand Prix and Prema Powerteam in Abu Dhabi last fall. A move to the Mazda Road to Indy looks imminent for the quick Swede, and he would be a powerful edition to the Belardi Auto Racing stable. Rosenqvist’s resume is stacked, and includes prestigious F3 wins in Pau, Macau and the Masters of Formula 3 events.
“We’re thrilled to have Felix in our second car alongside Zach for the Homestead test and we’re very keen on his running in Belardi red and white this season,” offered Team Principal Brian Belardi. “They both have race-winning pedigrees. Zach has in-depth knowledge of the Mazda Road to Indy venues, and he knows how to win. I know that first-hand, as we had to fight him all year to take the title in 2014. Felix is equally as talented and has a well-developed understanding of the sport and the racecar itself. His resume speaks for it. If we can firm up this team, we’ll be gunning to bring the title back to Brownsburg at the end of 2016.”
The drivers will be on-track at Homestead on Tuesday, January 26 and Wednesday, January 27. Living timing from the sessions will be available on www.indylights.com.
Source: Belardi Auto Racing press release