Hinchcliffe Will Compete Full-Time for Newman/Haas Racing in 2011
- Written by The Driver
- Published in Auto Racing
- font size decrease font size increase font size
- Be the first to comment!
Up-and-coming Canadian race-car driver James Hinchcliffe’s dream of having a full-time ride has become a reality. Hinchcliffe will drive full-time for the Newman/Haas Racing team in the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series after Eric Sprott of Sprott Inc., a Toronto-based independent asset-management company, stepped up to become his primary sponsor. “Finally making my IndyCar debut really is a dream come true and the end of a 15-year journey getting me to this point,” said the 24-year-old Hinchcliffe. “Having the support from a prominent Canadian company as I start the next step in my career is extra special. I can’t thank Eric Sprott and Sprott Inc. enough for their commitment and I’m sure we can do Canadian sport proud.”
The Toronto native progressed through the ranks of the Rotax (2002), F2000 (2003), Formula BMW (2004), Star Mazda (2005), and the Atlantic Series (2006-2008) before heading to the Firestone Indy Lights series in 2009. In 2010, his best season to date, he finished the year in second place behind Jean-Karl Vernay, who was driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. It was this impressive result that gave him the confidence to test his abilities against the best drivers in the world in IndyCar.
At the Barber Motorsports Park in March,Hinchcliffe was invited to join Newman/Haas Racing to test their cars, and he made the most of the opportunity. He recorded the fifth-fastest time on the first day and the seventh-fastest time on the second in the full field test. All that remained was to find the right sponsor to team up with, which officially came through on April 5th when Sprott came forward.
“We’re pleased to add James to our team,” said Carl Haas, founder of Newman/Haas Racing. “He impressed us with how quickly he acclimated himself to the demands of driving an Indy car last December, and showed he is more than talented enough to compete at this level since then. Canada has produced many great drivers, and we’re looking forward to partnering with Sprott to help James make his own mark.”
Based on his results at Barber, it should be a bright season for Hinchcliffe, but the true test will be how well he copes with the full-season grind in the IndyCar series against the likes of the Penske and Ganassi drivers. Hinchcliffe is anxious and excited about the year ahead, and is looking forward to competing at his first Indy500, as well as in the races in Canada. We’re looking forward to it too.