The 2012 IndyCar Series grid guide

This Sunday, a new season - and arguably a new era - begins for IndyCar on the streets of St Petersburg in Florida. The cars are new, two of the engine manufacturers are new, there has been a clear-out in race control, and the line-up of newcomers includes 11-time grand prix winner Rubens Barrichello.

The arrival of Chevrolet and Lotus as rivals to Honda on the engine front and the difficulties of getting on terms with the new Dallara DW12 chassis throws a few more unknowns than usual into the mix, but the two traditional powerhouse teams both take unchanged line-ups into the new season. Defending champion Dario Franchitti and his team-mate Scott Dixon will again fly the flag for Chip Ganassi Racing, and Team Penske's Will Power, Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves will again make it their year's work to try to stop them.

Chip Ganassi Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Honda

#10. Dario Franchitti (GB)
IndyCar debut: Indianapolis, 2002
Starts: 118
Wins: 20
Poles: 16
Fastest laps: 13
Championships: 4 (2007, '09, '10, '11)
2011: IndyCar champion

True as it is that statistics don't tell the full story, it's equally clear that four titles in five years doesn't leave a lot of room for argument. The Scot's pace and experience don't leave a lot of chinks in the armour for rivals to exploit, although a case could be made that race control took a generous view of some of the incidents that he was involved in last year, such as his clash with Will Power in Toronto. But the bottom line remains unchanged: Ganassi is a class act, Franchitti is quick on all types of tracks. Although there are signs that the opposition is closing in, he remains the benchmark for the rest of the field.

#9. Scott Dixon (NZ)
IndyCar debut: Homestead, 2003
Starts: 147
Wins: 26
Poles: 19
Fastest laps: 20
Championships: 2 (2003, '08)
2011: 3rd in IndyCar

In a fairer world, the Kiwi would have been a title contender last year. His speed remained top-shelf , but in 2011 his ability to attract random misfortune was unrivalled. You had the sense that if he and team-mate Dario Franchitti were to have identical brushes with the wall, Franchitti would continue on unharmed while Dixon would head into the pits with a puncture. There are some misfortunes that you can never plan for, but avoiding them this year will be key to Dixon's hopes of beating Franchitti.

#38. Graham Rahal (USA)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2008
Starts: 61
Wins: 1
Poles: 2
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 9th in IndyCar

Rahal's career has been one of constant progression, but there were signs towards the end of 2011 that he's just starting to really hit his straps as a fully-rounded IndyCar racer. The reduction in the number of slip-ups served as evidence of his growing maturity, while his late-season qualifying performances at Baltimore (a street circuit), Motegi (a road course) and Kentucky (an oval) demonstrated that he can be a threat on any track.

#83. Charlie Kimball (USA)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2011
Starts: 19
Best finish: 9th
Best qualifying: 7th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 19th in IndyCar

A rookie in 2011, Kimball spent last season essentially learning his trade and building a foundation for this year. Qualifying seventh at Motegi showed that there's still some potential waiting to be tapped, so it's now up to the 27-year-old to show that he can build upon the experience that he's gained thus far.

Team Penske
Car: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet

#2. Ryan Briscoe (AUS)
IndyCar debut: Homestead, 2005
Starts: 87
Wins: 6
Poles: 11
Fastest laps: 11
2011: 6th in IndyCar

For a driver of Briscoe's talent and experience, sixth in the championship was probably rather less than both he and the Penske team were hoping for in 2011. In fairness, not all of the lost points were his fault - he was the victim of others' mistakes in the first two races, and was derailed by a Takuma Sato pitstop blunder in Milwaukee - but even when things were going right, he was often playing second fiddle to Will Power in the intra-team battle. Addressing that will be one of his priorities for 2012.

#3. Helio Castroneves (BR)
IndyCar debut: Phoenix, 2001
Starts: 164
Wins: 19
Poles: 32
Fastest laps: 9
2011: 11th in IndyCar

The Brazilian is experienced, has a great record at Indianapolis, and is a heck of a dancer, but Roger Penske could have done with him being a little less erratic last year. Edmonton and Sears Point yielded Castroneves's only two podiums last year, and those races aside, he only managed one other top-four finish (in the second race at Texas). More was expected from someone with Helio's track record, and the team will need him to step up his game this year and offer stiffer opposition to Ganassi.

#12. Will Power (AUS)
IndyCar debut: Homestead, 2008
Starts: 56
Wins: 12
Poles: 18
Fastest laps: 7
2011: 2nd in IndyCar

A win at Texas in June answered the question of whether Power can be a threat on ovals. He won more races last year than any of his rivals and made fewer mistakes than anyone else. Yet he once again fell just short in his quest to dethrone Franchitti. It seems frivolous to suggest that the only missing ingredient is luck, but it's hard to see what more the Australian can bring to the table in 2012. If he can maintain his current level, and the Penske/Chevy combination proves to be competitive, then after two years of near-misses, maybe it will be a case of third-time lucky.

Andretti Autosport
Car: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet

#26. Marco Andretti (USA)
IndyCar debut: Homestead, 2006
Starts: 99
Wins: 2
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 5
2011: 8th in IndyCar

Andretti's fundamental pace remains beyond doubt; the problem has usually been finding a way to harness it weekend after weekend. The win at Iowa last year ended a five-year victory drought and should have helped to reinforce his self-confidence, and he also showed signs of ironing out some of the mistakes that have hurt his results in the past.

#27. James Hinchcliffe (CDN)
IndyCar debut: Barber Park, 2011
Starts: 16
Best finish: 4th
Best qualifying: 3rd
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 12th in IndyCar

Rookie of the year last season with Newman-Haas, Hinchcliffe switches across to the Andretti camp this year to take over the lurid green GoDaddy colours long associated with Dancia Patrick. St Petersburg will be a new adventure for him, as he missed the opening race last year, but the adaptability that proved to be one of the hallmarks of his rookie year suggests that this won't be much of a disadvantage.

#28. Ryan Hunter-Reay (USA)
IndyCar debut: Mid-Ohio, 2007
Starts: 74
Wins: 3
Best qualifying: 2nd
Fastest laps: 3
2011: 7th in IndyCar

It's fascinating to consider how Hunter-Reay's 2011 season would have turned out if the first half had been as good as the second. A combination of terrible luck and a couple of howlers meant that he was nowhere after the first eight races, but a podium at Mid-Ohio, a win at New Hampshire (controversial as that race was) and a strong run at Baltimore demonstrated that when things are going well, he can deliver. His chances this year will be determined to a large part by how quickly he and team-mates Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe can find the Andretti car's sweet spot.

*Sebastian Saavedra will drive an AFS/Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12-Honda at the Indianapolis 500.

KV Racing Technology
Car: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet

#5. Ernesto Viso (YV)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2008
Starts: 66
Best finish: 3rd
Best qualifying: 4th
Fastest laps: 2
2011: 18th in IndyCar

Followers of Paul Tracy's Twitter feed might think otherwise, but after a fairly ordinary start, Viso managed to salvage some decent performances from his 2011 season. The highlight was probably setting fastest lap on his way to seventh (from 19th on the grid) at Texas, but the key to taking a step forward this season will be eliminating the mistakes.

#8. Rubens Barrichello (BR)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2012
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 17th in Formula 1 World Championship

The world may never see an IndyCar rookie with better credentials, and Barrichello's age and experience belies an enthusiasm for the sport that remains undimmed. He remains convinced that he'd still be capable of winning races in F1 if he was given decent equipment, and will no doubt see his new American adventure as an opportunity to prove a point. His battle against close friend Tony Kanaan for bragging rights in the KV garage promises to be one of the great subplots of the season.

#11. Tony Kanaan (BR)
IndyCar debut: Indianapolis, 2002
Starts: 149
Wins: 14
Poles: 12
Fastest laps: 15
Championships: 1 (2004)
2011: 5th in IndyCar

On Sundays, there are few on the grid who can match Tony Kanaan. The problem last year was that there were too many weekends during which the Brazilian veteran had not done enough on Saturday to be in a position to put his speed and racecraft to good use, particularly on road and street courses. Performances such as his stirring drive from the rear of the field in Baltimore after a massive crash in practice showed that he's not one to lie down as soon as things get tough, and the arrival of Rubens Barrichello into the team should provide him with a massive boost.

Dragon Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Lotus

#6. Katherine Legge (GB)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2012
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 0
2011: Did not race

This year marks Legge's return to the cockpit after 12 months on the sidelines, and her return to US racing after a three-year stint in the DTM. She managed top-10 finishes in both of her Champ Car seasons and will benefit from sharing the garage with the experienced Sebastien Bourdais, although how quickly Jay Penske's newly-expanded Dragon Racing team can get up to speed remains to be seen.

#7. Sebastien Bourdais (F)
IndyCar debut: Indianapolis, 2005
Starts: 10
Best finish: 6th
Best qualifying: 5th
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 23rd in IndyCar, wins in ILMC and V8 Supercars

The Frenchman dominated the final years of Champ Car with four consecutive titles between 2004 and 2007, but since then his career has been more chequered. The bright points include three second places at Le Mans, but on the flipside is an unhappy stint in F1 with Toro Rosso, and a part-schedule in IndyCar last year. This season marks his return to full-time racing in the US (although he will miss Milwaukee due to the clash with Le Mans), and it's safe to assume that he'll provide a pretty clear indicator of how good the Dragon/Lotus package is.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Honda

#15. Takuma Sato (J)
IndyCar debut: Sao Paulo, 2010
Starts: 34
Best finish: 4th
Poles: 2
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 13th in IndyCar

The errors that blighted Sato's first IndyCar season in 2010 were greatly reduced last year, and the Japanese driver was rewarded with some solid results. His three top-five results came on different sorts of track (the St Petersburg street course, Texas oval and Mid-Ohio road course), which should give him a bit of extra confidence for this year. A bigger change for Sato this year - at least in IndyCar terms - is that he is moving into a team-leadership role, having shifted away from KV Racing to spearhead Rahal Letterman Lanigan's return to full-time competition.

#30. Luca Filippi (I)
IndyCar debut: Indianapolis, 2012
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 2nd in GP2, 2nd in Auto GP

There will no doubt be a lot of GP2 veterans keeping an eye on how Luca Filippi fares in his new life in the US. The lateness of his deal with Rahal Letterman Lanigan means that his season won't start until Indianapolis - a tough break for someone with zero oval experience - but if his European career is anything to go by then there's no reason to expect that he won't do a solid job once he settles in.

Dale Coyne Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Honda

#18. Justin Wilson (GB)
IndyCar debut: Homestead, 2008
Starts: 61
Wins: 2
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 5
2011: 24th in IndyCar

After a lengthy enforced absence from the cockpit that was brought about by a back injury sustained at Mid-Ohio, this weekend's season opener cannot have come soon enough for Justin Wilson. His return to racing coincides with a return to Dale Coyne's team after a couple of years with Dreyer & Reinbold. Wilson delivered Coyne's only victory at Watkins Glen in 2009, and has long proved adept at finding ways to secure good results with smaller-budget teams.

#19. James Jakes (GB)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2011
Starts: 16
Best finish: 13th
Best qualifying: 8th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 22nd in IndyCar

The Briton returns for a second season with Dale Coyne Racing, and although he was rarely in the spotlight during 2011, his quiet application drew a few admirers within the paddock as the season went on. He'll be keen to make amends for his failure to qualify at Indy, but achievements like putting himself eighth on the grid at Motegi offer something to build on for 2012.

Panther Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet

#7. JR Hildebrand (USA)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2011
Starts: 19
Best finish: 2nd
Best qualifying: 4th
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 14th in IndyCar

Being a rookie in a single-car team probably wouldn't qualify as 'making life easy for yourself', but all things considered, Hildebrand settled in pretty quickly at Panther in 2011. His season was defined by that last-lap crash while leading the Indy 500, but his superb performance at Iowa demonstrated that there's more to come from him.

AJ Foyt Enterprises
Car: Dallara DW12-Honda

#14. Mike Conway (GB)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2009
Starts: 39
Wins: 1
Best qualifying: 2nd
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 14th in IndyCar

An early-season win followed by a failure to qualify for the Indy 500 just a few weeks later suggests that Conway had plenty to think about during his 2011 campaign, and he faces an entirely new challenge this year with his switch from Andretti Autosport to AJ Foyt's single-car team. Conway's arrival coincides with an overhaul of the technical staff as Foyt seeks to move up the grid, so now it's up to the 28-year-old Briton to prove that he has the experience to take the team forward.

Ed Carpenter Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet

#20. Ed Carpenter (USA)
IndyCar debut: Chicagoland, 2003
Starts: 113
Wins: 1
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 3
2011: 26th in IndyCar

With the abandonment of the tragic Las Vegas race last October, Kentucky became 2011's de facto season-finale - which makes Ed Carpenter the series' most recent race winner. That victory with Sarah Fisher's squad was a good one for fans of the underdogs but Carpenter faces an entirely new challenge this time around, going into the season as an owner-driver with the new Ed Carpenter Racing team.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Lotus

#22. Oriol Servia (E)
IndyCar debut: Homestead, 2008
Starts: 38
Best finish: 2nd
Best qualifying: 2nd
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 4th in IndyCar

Oriol Servia has been all over the place during the past few years, and it speaks volumes that when he was finally given the stability of a full season, he rewarded Newman-Haas by finishing fourth in the points. The team's closure at the end of last season left Servia on the market once again, and while he'll have his work cut out trying to replicate 2011's performances with his new employers Dreyer & Reinbold, the Spaniard has made a career out of seizing any opportunities that fall his way.

Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Honda

#67. Josef Newgarden (USA)
IndyCar debut: St Petersburg, 2012
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 0
2011: Indy Lights champion

The reigning Indy Lights champion graduates to IndyCar with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing this year. Preparations for the new season were thwarted somewhat by the late arrival of an engine, meaning that the car only managed to squeeze in four days of testing before being bundled off to St Pete. History has long shown that a driver's record in junior formulae is not a reliable guide to how they'll fare at the top level, but Newgarden is acutely aware of the challenge ahead.

Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports
Car: Dallara DW12-Honda

#77. Simon Pagenaud (F)
IndyCar debut: Barber Park, 2011
Starts: 3
Best finish: 8th
Best qualifying: 18th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 31st in IndyCar, race winner in ILMC

Quick and adaptable, the Frenchman is preparing to embark upon his first full season in IndyCar after doing a handful of races with Dreyer & Reinbold and HVM in 2011. Alex Tagliani demonstrated last year that Sam Schmidt's team is capable of springing surprises, and it's hard not to think that the 2012 rookie-of-the-year honours are Pagenaud's to lose.

HVM Racing
Car: Dallara DW12-Lotus

#78. Simona de Silvestro (CH)
IndyCar debut: Sao Paulo, 2010
Starts: 34
Best finish: 4th
Best qualifying: 7th
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 20th in IndyCar

Racing for a single-car team like HVM doesn't exactly stack the deck in de Silvestro's favour, but she has shown steady improvement during her first two years in the series, and there is certainly no doubting her resilience - qualifying the car at Indy with a badly-burned hand is not for the faint of heart. The team has made some changes on the pitwall and in the garage during the off-season, and will be looking to edge itself a couple of spaces further up the field in 2012.

Bryan Herta Autosport
Car: Dallara DW12-Lotus

#78. Alex Tagliani (CDN)
IndyCar debut: Detroit, 2008
Starts: 0
Best finish: 4th
Poles: 2
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 15th in IndyCar

Tagliani will turn 40 not long after the season ends, but pole at the Indy 500 and top-five finishes at Long Beach, Texas and Motegi last year suggests that the fire still burns as brightly as ever. He'll be racing in different colours this year though, having left Sam Schmidt Motorsports to join Bryan Herta Autosport as the team prepares for its first full season.

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