Ilott was a rookie in a single-car team last season. Photo: Kevin Dejewski
Callum Ilott is entering his second season as a driver in the NTT IndyCar Series, and this year he will have the benefit of a team-mate to help him get the best results each weekend.
Agustin Canapino is a rookie, however, and will be spending much of his time learning from Ilott the tips and tricks needed to get the most out of his Juncos Hollinger Racing #78.
This season will be Canapino’s first real foray into open wheel racing, having come from Argentina’s stock car scene, and will need some time to get accustomed to the different driving style required.
Ilott was asked in what ways he and Canapino can help each other during the upcoming season with neither having a lot of experience in the competitive series.
“It’s a tough one because of the position that he’s in,” said Ilott of his new team-mate. “It’s a bit of an unknown for me, for the team, for the championship, because for sure he’s quick. But again, it’s a real really tough thing to jump into.
“So I really — I’m a bit nervous for him, and I admire the jump because it’s not easy to do. Obviously Scott McLaughlin has done it in, shall we say, a different environment, but he’s done it, and Agustin has that background but from Argentina.
“It’s more I have to wait and see where we’re at and what we’re doing because it could be more of a data thing or it could be really something that we can work together as a team and build off of. But I know it’s definitely not easy as a rookie.
“But then taking my own experience, we worked really well together as a one-car operation compared to big four-, five-car operations, and sometimes we kick their ass. But that gives me the confidence that no matter what, I can kind of work with what we’ve got and do a good job with it.”
Canapino took tips from Ricardo Juncos during the preseason test days. Photo: IndyCar
Ilott was heavily involved in the quest to find a second driver for JHR during the latter part of last year, with the Briton relating that he was on the lookout for someone that could help the team to grow quickly.
Despite that, the team chose to bring in a rookie with very little open wheel experience, seemingly weighing heavily the opportunity to have a driver from team owner Ricardo Juncos’ home country of Argentina.
Canapino certainly brings a lot of attention and potential sponsorship opportunities with him, but he also lacks the ability to jump in and provide feedback in the same way that an IndyCar veteran would have.
“Obviously the closer he can get to what I’m doing and the more similar he’s, shall we say, reenacting what I’m doing, because hopefully I am the baseline in that sense, the better, because that can help us,” continued Ilott.
“Obviously he is a racing driver. He has done many years of it. For sure when we try something, he should be able to feel it. If he feels it in a slightly different way, that’s still feedback for the team. It’s still good.”
Keyword: Ilott ‘a bit nervous’ for his rookie team-mate Canapino