Simona De Silvestro - Future IndyCar and Indy 500 Champion?
Originally from Thun, Switzerland, Simona now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona and races in the Izod IndyCar Series. She started racing when she was six years old and made the move to racing in the United States in 2006 where she raced in Formula BMW USA. In 2007, she moved to the Atlantic Championship series and strongly competed through 2009. This year is her rookie year in the Izod IndyCar Series where she drives the No. 78 car for Team Stargate World/HVM Racing. Presently, she is one of a record five women drivers competing to qualify for the 2010 Indy 500. Along with Danica Patrick, Simona will take on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s high speed oval with Sarah Fisher, Ana Beatriz, and Milka Duno.
De Silvestro has consistently demonstrated that she is quick to learn, not afraid to attack a race course, and adept enough to provide valuable feedback to the team. Her performance in the Atlantics was noteworthy and her current IndyCar season performance has been much better than her 20th place standing would indicate. This year she has lead four laps and absent things like a mechanical problem and cut tires would have finished much higher in each race. During the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park, Simona was set for a top ten finish when she made a shifting mistake entering turn 5 (Charlotte’s Web) to bring out the final caution of the race.
If Simona stays her present course, she will be a serious future contender for the IndyCar Series Championships (I am not sure I like this new road track, oval champion concept). Despite some analysts’ predictions that she will be limited to a middle of the field finish at this year’s Indy 500, due to the limited strength of her team, I know that she will push her No. 78 Stargate/HVM car to its limits. Who knows, perhaps the first woman to earn a podium result at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (De Silvestro in 2006 Formula BMW USA Series), will rise to the podium at the Indy 500.
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