Clarke to play safe in season-opener

The British driver only signed a deal to race with Minardi Team USA last week, which means that he will get his first taste of the new Panoz DP01 in Friday practice around the street course.

"I need to have the tortoise and hare approach," said Clarke. "Exercising caution, taking care of the car, and building momentum as the weekend progresses is my plan.

"I don't think anyone is sure what to expect from the track or the car. With the new Panoz and a long race distance, the most important thing is to be there at the end."

Clarke doesn't believe that he will be at a big disadvantage by missing out on the pre-season tests with the new car, as the teams have only been able to use most of the time for shakedowns.

"I don't see it as a major problem," he said. "I've been close to the team over the winter, trained hard, and worked at every aspect of my race programme that I've been able to do without testing."

The 23-year-old is pleased to be returning for a second year in the series with the same team, and he feels that there is no pressure heading into the start of the season.

"Continuing with a team that I worked with last year and my experience of the championship will stand me in good stead for Las Vegas," he said.

"I go there without any pressure, just focusing on myself and the team."