Ho-Pin Tung had the chance to ride around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a passenger car. He hopes his next visit is in an IZOD IndyCar Series car.
The 27-year-old Tung, who this season has been the reserve driver for Renault F1 and competed in GP2 with the Renault-affiliated DAMS team, made an overture to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series with a two-day outing in the No. 88 FAZZT Race Team car at Sebring International Raceway On Nov. 20-21.
As a compatibility test, there was synergy between car and driver before the lunch break on the first day as times on the 1.67-mile circuit decreased with almost every five-lap stint (he posted 211 laps over the two days). Regular driver Alex Tagliani, team COO and general manager Rob Edwards and chief engineer Allen McDonald - each providing nuggets of input without being overbearing - were duly impressed with the technical adaptation and feedback.
As the initial step of the team’s plans to expand into a multi-car program for its second IZOD IndyCar Series season, it also was positive. Luxembourg-based Gravity Sport Management has been secured to pursue commercial partnerships.
Tagliani, who recorded five top-10 finishes in the 17 races in the No. 77 car with primary sponsorship from Bowers & Wilkins, would welcome a complementary driver to expand the technical database and potentially improve on-track results.
“When you look at it from an organizational standpoint, we want to have a combination,” said Tagliani, who noted that a third entry could materialize. “If commercially it makes sense and on the operation side it makes sense, then you’re in a win-win situation. You have a guy to work with you and improve the speed of the car, but at the same time commercially it helps strengthen the future of the team.
“Ho-Pin is a likeable guy and fast. I think he would add a lot to the IndyCar Series and our team.”
Starting in karting in the mid-90s, Tung has represented China in A1GP, competed in Formula Ford, Formula BMW Asia (2003 champion), German Formula 3 (2006 champion), GP2 Asia and the Superleague Formula in addition to GP2 (he finished 14th in the season finale Nov. 14 at Abu Dhabi with the Racing Engineering team).
“It’s a very new thing for me and so many different things compared to Europe,” said Tung, who was born in The Netherlands and carries a Chinese professional driver’s license. “The tracks in the (IZOD IndyCar Series) are all very different and it requires quite a bit of adaptation. The car is just a racing car. It has four wheels and a steering wheel and you have to try to be as quick as you can. But I was impressed with how it handled and it was pleasant to drive.
“Being here in Sebring to get a small taste of an IndyCar is important. I have to take it step by step, and the first step is good. It would be interesting to see what it would be like to be running with other cars, but just as a foundation it’s good.”
Tung could be the first Chinese competitor in the IZOD IndyCar Series and in the Indianapolis 500 (in its centennial race). Bowers & Wilkins chairman Joe Atkins, whose audio equipment company has global sales breadth, said Tung could be “the Yao Ming of motorsports” to billions of Chinese.
“I can’t overstate how much I think this can be a game-changing association for the league and everybody involved because China is the future in terms of consumer market,” Atkins said. “It is where all western brands are very much focused for their future growth opportunity, and from an exposure perspective whether it’s for the league itself, the league’s sponsors, all of the people involved—although they may not fully realize it yet—if Ho-Pin can be successful in Indy racing the opportunity to build his profile in China is enormous.
“The ability to be associated with the first Chinese driver ever to compete in IndyCar and race in the Indy 500 is truly a unique and powerful opportunity.”
Tung already has an extensive fan base and media following in China, and INDYCAR has been exploring racing in China in the near future.
“Motorsports is still relatively new in China, but it’s developing rapidly,” Tung said. “IndyCar is the highest single-seater series in the U.S., and with the Indy 500 being the biggest motorsports event in the world it’s all things that attract Chinese people. It would be important for me to do well. We Chinese are very focused on performance, and I’m confident I could do a good job in IndyCar.”
| 
|