Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing (NHLR) announced today that Spaniard Oriol Servia, 35, will drive the team’s No. 06 entry at this weekend’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, August 7-9. Servia will take over the ride previously piloted by Robert Doornbos.
“I’m very pleased about this opportunity for many reasons,” said Servia. “First, I am excited to be back in the cockpit where I should be and, second, it reunites me with the team that I had the most success with in my career. It’s not ideal in terms of preparation time but the last time we did this with the same amount of notice, we ended up on the podium so I don’t see why that can’t happen again. I would like to thank Carl and Mike for thinking of me and I won’t let them down.”
Servia returns to the team after having served as the replacement driver for Bruno Junqueira, who was injured in the 2005 Indianapolis 500. He finished third in his debut with the team at the Milwaukee Mile and went on to finish on the podium a total of seven times in 11 races including his win at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. He earned his first series pole in Australia and made a total of four front row starts en route to a career-best second place rank in the 2005 season-ending standings.
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“Oriol did a fabulous job when he drove for the team in 2005 and I am confident he will do as well now,” said Carl Haas, co-owner of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing with Michael Lanigan. “The combination of Oriol’s talent, energy and personality and the team’s excitement in having him back is as good as it gets.”
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