Saavedra named as Aleshin replacement at SPM

Sebastian Saavedra will fill the seat in the #7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda at this weekend’s Pocono IndyCar race and the following weekend at Gateway.

Saavedra’s call-up comes after the team parted ways with Mikhail Aleshin a week prior to the Pocono race weekend.

In what was to be his third full campaign for SPM this year, Aleshin has struggled for results with his best a sixth position in the Saturday Detroit race.

The Russian was benched and Saavedra installed in his place for the Toronto race in mid-July for reasons not disclosed by the team before returning for the most recent race in Mid-Ohio.

Saavedra drove to a creditable 11th position finish at Exhibition Place and has been rewarded with starts on the two remaining oval races of the season.

“I am very excited to be back with the SPM organization,” said Saavedra, who also drove to 15th in this year’s Indianapolis 500 with Juncos Racing.

“It’s another late call to jump in, but I take it with pride after a promising start of our relationship in Toronto.

“(I’m) looking forward to a challenging event as the ‘Tricky Triangle’ (Pocono trioval) can be, and support (team-mate James) Hinchcliffe in his pursuit of championship points.”

The drive once again reunites Saavedra with engineer Blair Perschbacher, with whom the Colombian won races in Indy Lights.

There is no word yet on the identity of the driver for the final two races of the season on the road courses of Watkins Glen and Sonoma.

Saavedra’s compatriot Gabby Chaves and the Harding Racing team will add to the 21 regular entries at the Long Pond circuit in this weekend’s Verizon IndyCar Series race.

The ABC Supply 500 takes place at Pocono Raceway from August 19-20.

Entry list: Pocono Raceway