Junqueira gets Fazzt seat for Indy
Bruno Junqueira will return to the Indianapolis 500 with the new Fazzt team this May, a year after giving up his space on the grid for team-mate Alex Tagliani
The pair were also team-mates at Conquest Racing at Indy last year, with Junqueira securing a last minute deal for a second entry. When he made the field while primary driver Tagliani did not, the Canadian was switched to Junqueira's entry to ensure his sponsors had exposure in the IndyCar Series' showpiece race, leaving Junqueira out.
Tagliani said he had been determined to repay Junqueira for sacrificing his place in the Indy field, so bringing him into the Fazzt fold this year seemed the ideal solution.
"Because we have enough sponsorship to run a second car at Indianapolis, we felt it important to give that chance to Bruno," said Tagliani.
"Last year with Bruno as the second driver in the team I was at, he let his spot in the field go after I had a mishap in qualifying. And it turned out, I had a pretty good race at the Indy 500 so it is nice way to say thank you to Bruno for what he did for me last year."
Junqueira, whose Indy drive will be a one-off with Fazzt, believes the squad will give him a car capable of winning. Fazzt has been a frontrunner in both rounds so far this year, with Tagliani starting second in Sao Paulo and finishing sixth in St Petersburg.
"The team will give me the resources and support to compete in a car that has the capabilities of winning at the Indianapolis 500," said Junqueira, who has not started an IndyCar race since losing his Dale Coyne seat at the end of 2008.
"To win at Indianapolis has always been a dream of mine. I've had some very competitive opportunities at Indianapolis and in each year I've led laps and scored two top five finishes at the speedway.
"I hope that in 2010 I am able to complete my dream of a win at Indianapolis since I have been so close in the past."
Three times Champ Car runner-up Junqueira has contested Indy five times in his career, twice finishing in the top five and starting from pole in 2002, but he suffered severe back injuries in an accident at the speedway in 2005.
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