Tatiana Calderon is looking forward to this weekend’s Mid-Ohio round given it will be the first time she races on a track she has already driven an IndyCar on.
The Colombian is undertaking her rookie season with AJ Foyt Racing, and sits 28th in the series standings after her six events so far.
There have, of course, been eight races in the year to date, but Calderon is not contesting the ovals, whereas anyone confirmed for Indianapolis 500 in time also had the two-day Open Test in the month prior.
Such has been AJ Foyt’s programme, the 29-year-old has turned up cold to every track she has been to by this stage of the IndyCar season.
Mid-Ohio, however, will be a different story.
“Mid-Ohio was where I first tested the car with the team,” she said.
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“So, at least I know a little bit about the track and the feeling with this car.
“It’s the first time I am going to a circuit that I know, that I had a feeling for before [the race weekend].
“I think we had a good test. And a good race car there, so hopefully we can straight away, from free practice one, start closer to the pace. And yes, we will just keep working.
“The physical side there is tougher – it’s a small track so that’s going to be a nice test – and yes, I’m looking forward to it.”
Ironically, Calderon’s short IndyCar career might just come full circle this weekend, given “funding issues” with sponsor Rokit mean she could lose her seat.
That would leave just Kyle Kirkwood, who leads the way for AJ Foyt in 21st in the series, and Dalton Kellett in the team.
Kirkwood is especially confident for this weekend, saying, “It’s a place that I’ve always had the most success at, given a season.
“It’s my favourite track to go to and I think it’s a place where the team has done well at in the past, and we now have a couple-week break prior to it.
“So, it’ll be nice to kind of relax and recuperate and get ready for that weekend.
“I’m not sure what I love about the track, but it’s just suited me. It’s very high speed, there’s tons of elevation…
“It kind of reminds me of a karting track a little bit tighter, but a bit high-speed, high-downforce, high-grip.
“I’m not sure why it suits me, but I really like it.”
Practice 1 at Mid-Ohio starts on Saturday at 05:30 AEST, with Stan Sport’s live and ad-free coverage of the race starting on Monday at 02:30 AEST.
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