Oriol Servia gets Schmidt Peterson Indianapolis 500 seat
IndyCar veteran Oriol Servia will get another shot at the Indianapolis 500 after being named to Schmidt Peterson's final entry
Servia's best finish from his seven previous Indy 500 attempts was fourth in 2012.
The 41-year-old Spaniard last competed full-time in IndyCar in 2013, but has continued to make occasional appearances since - most recently standing in for Will Power at Penske in the St Petersburg season-opener after the Australian's practice crash.
Servia joins SPM's full-season drivers James Hinchcliffe and Mikhail Aleshin in the line-up for Indy.
"This year's Indianapolis 500, the 100th running, will be the most special in our era, maybe of all time, and I wanted to make sure I was in a team that can give me a programme to contend for the win," he said.
"I have no doubt that together with SPM and Honda, we will at least do that.
"The whole team, including James Hinchcliffe, my team-mate in 2011 [at Newman/Haas], and Mikhail, are ultimate professionals and I can't wait to start doing laps at the most special track in the world in preparation for the 'greatest spectacle in racing'."
Team owner Sam Schmidt believes Servia, who also has a team management role at Dragon Racing in Formula E after racing for it in the series' opening season, brings huge experience to the operation.
"We've competed against Oriol for several years now and have always looked for an opportunity to get him in one of our SPM entries," Schmidt said.
"He is a true professional and is highly respected within the motorsports community.
"Interestingly enough, we shared the front row with him in 2011 and know that he can get the job done for all of our team partners."
The additional entry is a partnership between Schmidt Peterson and the new Marotti Racing organisation founded by sometime autocross and SCCA racer Will Marotti.
"We are thankful and excited beyond measure to be able to participate in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 with a team of the quality and calibre of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports," Marotti said.
"This is the fulfilment of a 47-year-old personal dream, and we hope just the first of many years that Marotti Racing will be in the paddock and part of the IndyCar community."
EXPECTED EXTRA INDIANAPOLIS 500 ENTRIES SO FAR
AJ Foyt Racing: Alex Tagliani
Andretti Autosport: Townsend Bell
Dale Coyne Racing: Pippa Mann, Bryan Clauson
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing: Sage Karam
Ed Carpenter Racing: JR Hildebrand
Grace Autosport: Katherine Legge
Lazier Partners: Buddy Lazier
Team Murray/KVSH: Matthew Brabham
Rahal Letterman Lanigan: Spencer Pigot
Schmidt Peterson/Marotti: Oriol Servia
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