Kanaan targets Indy victory

The Brazilian, who along with his team owner Michael Andretti, has never won the blue riband event held at the end of May and is determined that this will be his year.

"Our foremost goal this season is to win the Indianapolis 500," he said. "Since it's run still early in the year, focusing on Indy doesn't hamper our plans to defend the championship."

Kanaan completed every lap of the 2004 season and never finished lower than fifth, while his team Andretti Green Racing scored no less than eight victories, with Kanaan and Dan Wheldon both winning three and Dario Franchitti two. The Brazilian admits it's a record that's hard to match.

"It's unlikely that we can repeat 2004," he said. "Even if I win the title again, if I don't complete all laps in the season, for instance, it will already mean a 'worse' year. But we are working in the same [hard] way we did last season."

"We have carried on unchanged from last year, and that boosts our confidence for a great season."