Former Ferrari F1 prodigy eyes racing switch

2 years ago 85

IndyCar could soon person different flying Kiwi connected the grid, 1 who was agelong destined for the heights of Formula 1.

Marcus Armstrong whitethorn go the 3rd full-timer from New Zealand successful the North American bid adjacent twelvemonth alongside Scott Dixon and Scott McLaughlin if each goes to plan.

It's Dixon who has been the driving unit down Armstrong's ambition to instrumentality connected IndyCar.

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With six IndyCar titles to his sanction and 53 wins, Dixon is undoubtedly the champion operator of the modern age.

"Certainly, IndyCar is the happening I privation to bash – there's nary secret," Armstrong told RACER.

"I've ever been attracted to the title from a young property due to the fact that I americium a Kiwi and I've been watching Scott Dixon footwear ass since I was astir 2 years old.

"I'd emotion to come, and there's evidently thing official, but it's surely my archetypal choice. I'm moving towards it."

Christchurch-born Armstrong has agelong called Maranello home.

Armstrong was portion of the Ferrari Driver Academy from 2017 until conscionable past twelvemonth and spent overmuch of his inferior vocation surviving successful Italy and racing for Prema.

In that time, helium won the Italian Formula 4 Championship, was 2nd successful the German Formula 4 Championship and claimed 2nd connected debut successful the FIA Formula 3 Championship.

The measurement up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship came successful 2020. A podium successful his archetypal contention bode good for the future, but it's been thing but casual since then.

With the extremity of a pugnacious three-year tenure betwixt 3 teams coming to an end, Armstrong has yet to ace the apical 10 successful the championship.

He presently sits 12th with 1 circular remaining successful his astir palmy play to date, which features 3 wins.

Having not recovered the occurrence helium truthful desperately craved to marque it to the apical tier, the 22-year-old has acceptable his sights connected IndyCar.

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Armstrong has agelong had an oculus connected IndyCar, venturing to the United States successful 2021 to be the inaugural Music City Grand Prix successful Nashville.

Earlier this year, he was linked to a power from Formula 2 to IndyCar.

Recently, helium tested with Dale Coyne Racing astatine Sebring International Raceway, marking the archetypal measurement towards a full-time drive.

"That was a batch of fun," Armstrong said of the test.

"Coming into the time I was alert of however aggravated IndyCar is, and surely the individuality of an IndyCar is antithetic to each class with the reactiveness of the steering instrumentality and the kick-back and however hard you request to thrust it.

"So I was alert of that coming into the time and it surely lived up to its expectations conscionable successful the consciousness that you bash person to thrust it hard.

"The value organisation is rather a batch of antithetic and it conscionable seemed precise almighty retired of corners, and past obviously, country entries, it's got rather a batch of grip compared to what I'm utilized to.

"And it was a batch of amusive due to the fact that you tin propulsion hard and not endure immoderate consequences connected a country exit. So from my constituent of view, it's a batch of amusive to drive."

As for 2023, squad proprietor Dale Coyne said Armstrong is an charismatic enactment for the squad should it adhd a 3rd car to its program.

The squad presently has David Malukas and Takuma Sato connected its roster.

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