Alex Palou: “To have the chance to be at Daytona in a Cadillac is incredible”

The first laps of the 2022 seasonEndurance took place this Friday at Daytona, for the Roar. A week before the Florida double-clock, this weekend serves as both a dress rehearsal and qualifying for the January 29-30 race. Alex Palou, the reigning champion of the championship IndyCar, will discover the legendary American event with Chip Ganassi Racing. He shares the wheel of the No. 01 with six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, four-time Champ Car champion Sébastien Bourdais, and the champion IMSA 2016 Renger van der Zande. All already winners at the International Speedway. “Just to have the chance to be at Daytona in a Cadillac DPi is incredible. Then when you put together a team like this… It’s just crazy! » enthuses Alex Palou on this subject. “I can identify with each of them,” adds the 24-year-old Spaniard. I know they've all won this race before. I know what we want to accomplish, they know how to do it. It’s about learning and trying to get a nice watch in a few days.”

Alex Palou has already made his mark. He actually set the best time for the crew in the second Free Practice session for the Roar, in 1'34"712: “It was a good day for a first practice at Daytona. I'm trying to get used to the track and it was nice to drive under the lights. The car is fast and hopefully we can continue to improve and prepare for next week. » If it seems tight between all the Cadillac DPi, they were dominated by the Acuras in the first two sessions. “All the Cadillacs seem to be very close, confirms Tristan Vautier, driver of the No. 5 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac DPi. We were not happy this morning (in EL1. Editor’s note), but I think it was more because of the track than anything else. The car was better tonight (in EL2. Editor’s note). We have a few things to find to be with the best Cadillacs. and we're going to focus on that. » The third Roar Free Practice session will begin at 16:00 p.m. French time.

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