As IndyCar Testing Continues, Free Agents Vie for Final Spots
May 25, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe (27) takes the lead at the start of the 2014 Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Other names in hot stove discussions include:
- Davide Valsecchi, a GP2 champion who tested with Schmidt Peterson
- Sam Bird, another European ladder standout now racing in Formula E
- Dean Stoneman, whose five GP3 wins in a return to single-seaters after a battle with cancer make him an impressive prospect
- Charles Pic, now relieved of his F1 reserve duties and tied to Andretti Autosport as a one-time Formula E driver
- Rodolfo González, the Venezuelan GP2 veteran who tested with Schmidt Peterson and Dale Coyne
- Daniel Abt, who had an outing with Andretti in association with mutual sponsor DHL and could run part-time when other obligations, like Formula E, do not conflict
- Sebastián Saavedra, the AFS-backed pole-sitter for the first Grand Prix of Indianapolis whose greatest runs were often marred by embarrassing errors
- Zach Veach, an Indy Lights graduate once rumored to have partial funding for IndyCar
- Ryan Briscoe, now running sports cars and targeting the Indy 500 as a standalone
- Ryan Phinny, limited in experience, but still striving for a program
- Rocky Moran, Jr., a surprise tester with Schmidt Peterson whose improbable efforts seemingly halted there
- Vítor Meira, hoping to return for Indy, but likely hindered by the cancellation of the Brasília race he promoted
Even as IndyCar aims to thrill in 2015, the mystery of free agency must be solved before the action can begin.