INDIANAPOLIS (March 6, 2012) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced today that they have signed 2011 GP2 runner-up Luca Filippi to drive their No. 30 Honda-Dallara-Firestone entry in the IZOD IndyCar Series for the remainder of the 2012 season beginning with the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 27. Filippi will team with Takuma Sato, whom he met while the two were testing Honda-powered Formula One cars.
“It's a great feeling to be part of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,” said Luca Filippi. “Being a racing driver and a big motorsport fan too, it's amazing to have such a legend as
Filippi, a 26-year-old from the northwestern town of
“Having followed GP2 the last several years, I have watched Luca’s progress with interest,” said team co-owner Bobby Rahal. “Despite not always having the best equipment, it was clear he had the ability to not only run competitively but to also win races. Having gotten to know him over the last eight months, he has also shown that in addition to being able to win, he would represent Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in a first class manner. We are very excited to begin a long and successful relationship with him.”
“The IndyCar Series is really popular in
Filippi began racing karts in
“Racing for a Honda-powered team is fantastic because I feel like I am restarting from where we ended a few years ago when I was the Honda F1 test driver until the end of the Honda F1 project,” said Filippi. “I'm happy we will work together again and now we both have a new challenge, new motivation and I just can't wait to be at the wheel. I know Takuma from those days. We respect each other and we both think that working together can help us and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing achieve our goals.”
Prior to making his IndyCar Series debut at the
RLL returns to full-time IZOD IndyCar Series competition in 2012 for the first time since 2008. That season saw Ryan Hunter-Reay finish seventh in the final series standings, marking the 11th consecutive year that a RLL driver finished the year in the top-10 in driver points. The winners of the 1992 IndyCar championship as well as the 2004
– RLL –