F1 exile still fuming after throwing away title

1 year ago 55

Five months connected from past year's IndyCar play finale, Marcus Ericsson admits he's "still a spot pissed off" that helium fto his rubric accidental slip.

Ericssons, who spent 5 seasons successful Formula 1, changeable to the apical of the standings erstwhile helium won the Indianapolis 500, which pays doubly arsenic galore points arsenic regular rounds.

It proved to beryllium his lone triumph of the season, and contempt starring for a 3rd of the twelvemonth helium fell abbreviated of the bid win.

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In the end, the Chip Ganassi Racing operator coiled up sixth portion Team Penske's Will Power enactment connected a session to triumph the title having finished extracurricular the apical 5 connected conscionable 5 occasions.

Ericsson isn't acrophobic to admit the nonaccomplishment inactive eats distant astatine him.

"I don't cognize if I consciousness urgency, but I decidedly people it," Ericsson said of his 2023 rubric campaign.

"Like I said, I had a accidental going into the final, but I besides was starring the title for a agelong clip past year.

"I'm inactive a spot pissed disconnected astir the ending of past twelvemonth due to the fact that I felt we were having a truly beardown year, past the past 3 races oregon truthful we conscionable fell disconnected a small bit. That was disappointing.

"But it's fixed maine a batch of information to enactment hard successful the off-season to effort and beryllium amended this year. It's decidedly our extremity to effort and get that title this year."

Ericsson didn't autumn disconnected the cliff by immoderate means, but conscionable 1 podium decorativeness aft the Indianapolis 500 condemned his chances arsenic his main rubric rivals surged forward.

He led the points for six much races aft the Indianapolis 500 but conceded his pb aft finishing 11th astatine the Indianapolis roadworthy course.

The Swede said determination was a "combination" of factors for his 2nd fractional slump.

"I deliberation america arsenic a team, it's been 1 of our weaknesses the past mates years successful that we're not qualifying arsenic precocious arsenic we should," helium said.

"Race time I'm not frightened of anyone. I deliberation connected the No.8 car we're ever going guardant successful the races; we're ever precise beardown successful the races.

"It's nary concealed that we request to amended connected qualifying day. That is america successful the No.8 car but besides Chip Ganassi Racing arsenic a whole. I deliberation if we tin each improve, it's going to assistance us.

"These days arsenic well, IndyCar is becoming much and much competitive. So galore bully drivers and teams. If you commencement mid-pack, it mightiness beryllium a agelong race, but to triumph a contention from mid-pack is getting harder and harder.

"It's been 1 of the large absorption areas successful the off-season, to effort to find things successful the setup, successful the mode to recognize the tires, worldly similar that, to chiefly amended our qualifying performance.

"It's been a large absorption for us. It's going to beryllium absorbing this week to spot if we person recovered immoderate things that are going to work, past use that passim the season."

Ericsson volition beryllium joined by six-time bid victor Scott Dixon astatine Chip Ganassi Racing alongside 2021 champion Alex Palou and newcomer Marcus Armstrong.

Pre-season IndyCar Series investigating takes spot connected Friday and Saturday astatine The Thermal Club successful California.

The play gets underway successful earnest connected March 6 connected the streets of St. Petersburg.

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