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| Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team drivers with their families and personal friends as they walk to their Honda-powered Dallara cars in pitlane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500. From L to R ... the recently confirmed in a multi-year contract with the team and Rookie Of The Year points leader Denmark born Christian Lundgaard, senior driver and competing in his 14th year Graham Rahal, and British born competing in his sixth year Jack Harvey. Image Credit: James Black via Penske Entertainment (2022) |
Christian Lundgaard Previews Bommarito Automotive Group 500 & Re-Up
With Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
We find ourselves in the sunset of a 17 Race NTT INDYCAR SERIES 2022 season
with only 3 races left - the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by
Axalta and Valvoline on the short oval at World Wide Technology Raceway, 5
Minutes from downtown St. Louis | the Grand Prix of Portland at Portland
International Raceway | the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey. - having a chat
with the rookie driver in his first full season, leading in the points for
Rookie Of The Year, Denmark born and raised Christian Lundgaard.
Lundgaard’s performance in his first full NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has earned the 21-year-old Dane a new
long-term agreement with the team, it was announced just before the INDYCAR
sponsored ZOOM Call Tuesday August 17, 2022.
The restructuring of Lundgaard’s agreement comes as he takes a commanding
41-point lead in the Rookie of the Year standings into this weekend’s
Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World
Wide Technology Raceway. The race airs live Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on USA
Network and Peacock Premium with coverage on the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Lundgaard earned an NTT INDYCAR SERIES career-best finish of second place at
the Gallagher Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on
July 30 and followed that up with his highest series start – third place –
in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville on Aug. 6.
"I have to say a big thanks to (team co-owners) Bobby (Rahal), David
(Letterman) and Mike (Lanigan) for giving me this opportunity to extend my
time with the team," Lundgaard said. "We’ve had some good results lately,
and I’m sure this has also helped their decision."
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
(H - Honda-Powered | C - Chevrolet-Powered)
Christian Lundgaard, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - H, 272 points
David Malukas, Dale Coyne Racing with HMD - H, 231 points
Callum Ilott, Juncos Hollinger Racing - C, 181 points
Devlin DeFrancesco, Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport - H, 159 points
Kyle Kirkwood, AJ Foyt Racing - C, 144 points
Tatiana Calderon, AJ Foyt Racing - C, 58 points
NTT INDYCAR SERIES News Conference - Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Press Conference - Christian Lundgaard - No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
Dallara
THE MODERATOR: We've reached the final oval of the season as the NTT INDYCAR
Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway for Saturday night's Bommarito
Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline. Our coverage begins at
6:00 p.m. eastern on USA and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Our guest today has several reasons to be excited this week. His team is on a
roll, career best finish of third on the IMS road course a couple of weeks
ago, a career best starting position of second in Nashville -- no, the other
way around, isn't it?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Yeah.
THE MODERATOR: My apologies. I owe you one here.
But all of that aside, Christian, just announced moments ago, receiving a new
long term agreement with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He pilots the No. 30
Shield Cleansers Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda, Rookie of the Year
candidate from Denmark, we welcome in Christian Lundgaard.
Christian, congratulations. Thanks for doing this.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No, thank you. It's my pleasure. In the beginning of the
season, this was the aim to get to this point, to get it all settled. Now
we're here.
I spoke to my dad yesterday, as I actually signed the papers yesterday. It was
a big relief for me because it's been the pressure to get this done and to be
sure the future is settled. For me, that is actually the first time that has
ever happened, and that was the aim when we came over here to America to get
this sorted, and now it's done.
We've got three races to go. Then in the off-season I can celebrate, not yet.
THE MODERATOR: All right. That will be a good celebration.
In the context of your career, a long term deal with any racing organization,
let alone something in the NTT INDYCAR Series, what does that mean when it
comes to the big picture, and how big is this for you?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I spoke to Marcus Ericsson about this specific question.
INDYCAR is a lot about stability, and I don't think many people realize this.
Now I know that I'll be with the same people, the same engineers, et cetera,
the same team. And for me to know that and to be able to work close to them
and be more a part of the team, I think is a big benefit.
Which is also why we see -- I wouldn't call it the old guys, but the
experienced drivers. You know, they've been with the same team for a long
time, and they're still competitive. They win races. We see Scott, we see Will
kicking our butts. For a young driver to come in and be on that level is
tough.
THE MODERATOR: Well, they haven't exactly been kicking your butt as of late.
Let's kind of talk about the continuation of this run that your team is on.
How do you explain the change in results in the last month and a half or so?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: It's a good question because I think in the beginning of
the season we struggled a lot more than we thought we would. I think St. Pete
was a special event. The first race of the season, I think everyone knew to
get their feet on the ground and get going.
I don't think we started the weekend with the 30 crew that well. I think we
were 25th in the first practice out of 27 cars or 26. But we made progress
through the weekend, and we were looking at a P6 finish. We ended up P11,
which it is what it is.
Then we went to Texas. Our qualifying wasn't great. As a team, we were
struggling a lot in qualifying. And that whole continuation of the beginning
of the season was just mentally tough for absolutely everybody in the team.
I spoke to several people before the 500. After the 500, all the energy that
goes into the 500, people start to degrade in the second part of the season,
and that's where we upped our game because the second half of the season so
far, we've been strong. I think Road America was kind of the turning point
when we started to perform better.
We've been on a roll. We got our first podium. We qualified third at
Nashville, which just for the record, I absolutely wasn't expecting to happen.
Now it's done, and I'm happy. We've shown that we've got the potential.
THE MODERATOR: You mentioned Texas. Last thing before we open it up for
questions. Back at an oval this weekend, testing there, obviously 1 1/4 mile
around World Wide Technology Raceway. What have you learned in places like
Texas and Indy and Iowa that you could use? Knowledge is key, right? When you
go to places like this, what can you use from those experiences that's going
to help you this coming weekend?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Most of it actually comes from Graham. I would say all my
knowledge on ovals comes from Graham. Graham's got a tremendous amount of
experience on ovals, and for me to come in as a rookie, I wouldn't say before
I came over here, was being scared of ovals, but it is different. It's tough,
and I think it's a big mental game.
Texas, I think the race performance was quite decent. We were moving up quite
quickly. Iowa, I enjoyed a lot. I must say, I enjoyed the short ovals quite a
bit. The tests, I don't think we were as competitive as we were in Iowa.
Luckily that was just a test day. We've got to perform once the race gets
there.
But Indy was a special one, I think, for me. I enjoyed it more than I probably
should have. I should probably have expected more of -- I wouldn't say
dedication and hard work, but the performance wasn't there. At that point, I
wouldn't say we gave up, but it was more, from my own perspective, was getting
the experience because there was no point of going out and doing something
stupid.
THE MODERATOR: Just to reiterate, second on the IMS road course, qualifying
third at Nashville. That's my error. I promise that's the last time I'll make
that error, at least this week.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No worries.
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| Christian Lundgaard going around Turn 3, the fountain turn, at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Chris Owens via Penske Entertainment (2022) |
Q. Christian, congrats on the new contract. You always hear about successful
businesses, feels kind of like a family with their employees. You happen to
drive for a family team. Do you feel like part of a Rahal extended family
member?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Absolutely. Everyone in the team works well together. I
like Bobby. I like Mike and David. I've actually spent more time with them
than I thought I would than I did in the beginning of the season.
Mike called me yesterday just to congratulate me on the contract. What I like
a lot about Mike is he tells you what he thinks. He doesn't filter it. I think
that is a good thing to have. And as a team, I think we also need to move more
in that direction and just get things done, have some more conclusions on
things and get on with it.
Q. Obviously stateside we see INDYCAR and what it means to here, but to a
21-year-old Danish rookie, what about the series now makes you like, you know
what, this is where I want to be for the future? What out of the first year
have you liked so much that you see this as a career goal now?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I don't think there's been much I haven't really liked
about INDYCAR so far. There's always going to be decisions you would have
hoped you would have made different from several people, if it's the stewards
or the race director, et cetera, changes to the tracks and stuff like this.
But I think overall, like I've said many times now when I moved over here and
I've had the question what's the difference about Europe and America, for me
it's about racing -- it's more about racing than it is about politics and et
cetera. What I like about INDYCAR is the feeling I have here is the feeling I
got when I fell in love with go-karts. You put the car on the ground, and you
race, and you have fun. But you compete, and once the helmet's off, everyone
is best buddies.
You don't see that in Europe. For me, the life is good for me in America. I
prefer it here. Obviously I miss family and friends and et cetera, but I'm
sure a time will come for them to visit me.
No, just everything about the sport over here is preferred for me.
Q. You mentioned you called your dad yesterday and talked about this. What was
that phone call like? Is it emotional? Is it kind of like, yeah, you've been
here this year, but like in stick and ball sports, everyone strives to get
from that rookie contract to that second contract. Now you got it. Is that
kind of that relief? Was it an emotional conversation? What was that
discussion like yesterday?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Honestly it was quite calm. I think for me, obviously I
don't think I've properly realized yet, but I think my dad has because he sits
on the sidelines and just watches the big picture of what's going on.
But this has basically been the longtime goal to get it done and have a
multiple year agreement because it settles everything down. You've got a work
path, and I think that's just a benefit overall. But it's been work from 2007,
when I started racing, and now we're here. It's happening. I wouldn't say we
never expected it to happen, but it's always been questionable if it was
possible.
I think -- again, just to follow up on the question before, I don't think
necessarily my chances would have been as big in Europe as they would have
been here. So that's obviously a good choice to come here then.
Q. Christian, congrats on the new deal. Just wanted to ask you real quick,
when you look at the rookie competition that you're part of this year, some
pretty impressive drivers. Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, and now
yourself, you're leading the standings. How satisfying would it be to win the
Rookie of the Year title?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: By the way, thank you. Honestly, for me I've said this
before, I haven't looked too much into the rookie standings. I think now
obviously there will be a bit more focus on it as we reach the end of the
season. I just try to focus on each event as they come, and I've looked more
at the overall standings, to be honest, than I've looked at the rookie
championship. I'd rather want to win the whole championship.
We aren't in that position, so the rookie championship will for sure be our
main goal for now. You only get one shot at it, so you've got to perform.
That's what's tough about a rookie season is you've got one shot at it and you
need to get everything right, but you've also got to learn as much as possible
and mistakes will follow.
I think we've executed quite well in the beginning of the second part of the
season, and I think that's why we are where we are in the rookie standings.
Q. How foreign does the oval racing feel to you?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I wouldn't say I'm uncomfortable on the track or in the
car. I would say I'm for sure getting more comfortable. But I think it's all
about confidence, experience, knowledge, which is also why I focused more on
actually getting through the races than going for that one position, playing
the long game.
Because you know in the hope of this contract for me now, I know that I'll
have another shot again. Now the experience I've gained, I need to use and
execute next year, which is also why I think next year ovals will be a lot
stronger.
But I want to finish Gateway strong because it's the last oval of the season.
We performed at Nashville. We performed at Indy, which means it's the road
course, it's the street circuit. Now we've just got to have a good end to the
season on the last oval. Then I can be very satisfied with my rookie season.
Q. Finally, Chris Blair the general manager at World Wide Technology Raceway,
they said there's a tweak to the schedule. They're going to add an extra
session of rubber in the track by having you guys run the high line similar to
what you did in Texas. How much do you think that will help? Does it help more
on the starts and restarts than it would during the race? Because the geometry
of the track pretty much favors everybody taking the low line.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think it's a good idea. If I'm going to be honest, I
think it would have helped slightly more at Iowa than it would here probably
because I think, like you said, everyone will run the low line. It's going to
be tough to run the high line, first of all, because of the marbles.
But I think just the way three and four kind of shapes, it's going to be tough
to run in the high line and gain a position or make it work without losing
time or, even worse, finishing the race there. I think turns one and two, it's
possible to run in the high line, but it needs to be early in the race.
Q. I'm putting on my F1 feeder series cap as well. You and Callum are the
latest F2 graduates to make a transition. You had a great debut last year,
good rookie year now. You're really taking to INDYCAR like a duck to water.
Why do you think the switch from F2 to INDYCAR has been so smooth for you? Is
it the Dallara link, the fact that there's a similar driving style between the
cars, or is it something else?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I would say the Dallara link is a big factor in it, but I
think coming from Pirelli tires into Firestone tires was a big benefit for
both Callum and I because I think we have the experience of proper saving
tires and looking after tires because the Pirelli tires are tough. They're
very difficult to understand, and from track to track, it's also different.
Here I feel the Firestones can take a lot more, so you can actually push the
tires. But at the same time, we know how to be fast, but now we also know how
to save the tires. I think for us as a racing driver it's -- we've shown
ourselves to be able to do a good job, be fast, but now I think it's helped
our race craft a lot more. But when you see it, I think we've also qualified
quite well.
I think the cars don't drive dramatically different. I think the INDYCAR is
able to hustle more. It's got a gentle slide to it. The biggest difference for
me, I think would be from the tires, but the car handles pretty much the same.
It's a little different, but it's not dramatically different.
Q. Now of course there's currently quite a few rumors about a few other F2
drivers following your example, coming from INDYCAR, Felipe Drugovich, Marcus
Armstrong, exactly. They're being mostly named. You've raced against both
Drugovich and Armstrong. Do you think they would fit well with INDYCAR, and
have they been in touch with you to find out what this INDYCAR is about?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No, I actually haven't spoken to any of them. I spoke to
Jack Doohan yesterday, not about this, but we just had a general talk about
how things are over there and et cetera.
I think looking at Felipe, he's done an extremely good job this year, had a
very, very good start to the season, which has put him in this position to be
able to get points and still keep the lead in the championship. I was
teammates with Marcus in 2020 in F2. I know he had a very tough year that
year, but I know Marcus is a good driver. I know he can hustle a car as well.
I don't know that much about Felipe overall, but I think Marcus for sure would
be able to be fast. The thing about INDYCAR is you need to be fast every
single time, and that's tough. I think the transition into ovals is tough.
Q. Final thing. Your Alpine link is completely gone now, right?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: It is, yes.
** Query From Motorsports Journal's Edmund Jenks **
Q. Growing up in Denmark, Europe, you probably had some assumptions about
America, and now that you've spent a full season here in many different cities
and venues and so on, what given your assumptions of America and what your
experiences have been, what have been the biggest changes in your mind?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think for me personally the biggest difference has been
traveling to races because obviously I'm used to it from Europe, traveling
from country to country, but now I'm still traveling, but I'm still in the
same country. It's basically the same sort of distances but it's in the same
country.
For me that seems strange. I get on a flight, and I land in the same country,
just I don't know how many miles away. Just the cities around where I live, I
wouldn't say they're far away, but they feel so far away because the same
distance -- if I would travel the same distance in the city where I used to
live in Denmark, I'd basically get across the country. So all these kinds of
things is very different. I wouldn't say difficult for me to get used to, but
it's just like a mental thing that's different.
I like the life in America. I've been driving to many of the races, get to see
the country, and just drive through states and see the differences. When you
cross the border into a new state, you start to see some differences, and you
don't see that in the same country in Denmark or in Europe.
I'm happy here for sure.
Q. By the way, congratulations on re-ups with RLL. You've got three more races
left this season. Which one are you probably looking forward to the most as it
relates to your type of driving style and the venues that you've learned
about?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: For me it's going to be difficult to pinpoint one, I
think. All three races will be a key factor. I wouldn't say I'm looking more
forward for one than the other.
I'd say I look forward for Portland because I know the car the team had there
last year was a bit of a development from the car I qualified and raced at
Indy last year. So I'm familiar with that car, and I know it performed well.
Graham had a very, very good run last year. So I know we'll be competitive
when we get there.
Like I said before, I want to finish my last oval of the season well. We've
performed at Nashville. We performed at Indy. Now it's time to perform even
better at an oval. We made steps through the season. We weren't competitive in
Texas. Wouldn't say so in Indy. But then we got to Iowa, and we started
building up.
It was also in the second half of the season where we've been strong. So to
finish it off well, that would satisfy me well with my rookie season, being
able to say that, okay, it's three types of courses, but we performed well at
each one of them. I think that would give a big confidence boost for everyone
for next year.
Q. How does it feel to be one point behind Roman Grosjean?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I noticed that, but what feels worse, I think, is being
11 points behind Graham.
THE MODERATOR: Great answer.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I want to finish ahead of Graham. That's my ultimate
goal.
THE MODERATOR: I was going to say, if you had a goal for the rest of the
season, that's it?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: That and having a good end on an oval. And obviously
winning a race. It's not too far away. We were close.
Actually we were the best finishing legal car of Indy. We scored the most
points.
THE MODERATOR: That's right. You got the most points out of that weekend. I'll
give you that, 100 percent.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Exactly.
ENDS
Q. On ovals, you had mentioned in Nashville that, when you first came to
street circuits, that you were not as comfortable, but now that you performed
well at Nashville, you've come to like them. Do you feel that you have a
somewhat similar experience on ovals? Second question would be the team has
made a lot of gains in the last half of the year. What else do you -- what
other gains do you guys think -- let me start over. Where do you think you
guys need to improve to get to that next level?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: First question, so obviously I would say, looking at
Nashville, we performed very well. We knew that we made some gains in Toronto.
We knew that all three cars were more competitive than we were in Detroit. I
think for me part of the reason why I probably haven't been a fan of street
circuits is I've done Macao, I've done Monaco, I've done Baku, but they're all
smooth tracks. Macao is probably the bumpiest of all of them.
But coming over here, you don't resurface the track before coming out. You
just put the car on the ground and you race. That's one of the features I like
about INDYCAR. I think the European drivers that I have spoken to don't
realize that. They think we're crazy that we go out there, oh, yeah, you're
going to hit the wall because the car is going to jump all over the place, but
it's challenging. I think that's where the damper programs comes into play but
also the driver.
I think, looking at the progress we made in Toronto and then we came into
Nashville, I wouldn't say we performed much better at Nashville than we did at
Toronto, but I think it was a lot of this momentum of leaving Indy and being
there. We just knew we just had to execute. We did on qualifying day, not so
much on race day for different reasons, but the roll is there.
Yeah, then I forgot your second question actually.
Q. Second question is you guys have -- with you guys making a lot of gains,
what else do you think you guys need to get to the next level?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think it's very simple. I don't think there is much
more -- well, there's always things we can do to improve. I always think the
car can be better, I can do a better job. But as a team, it's all about being
there consistently, and I think that's what we've struggled with is being
consistent and understanding why things work and why they don't.
Obviously if everyone knew how to be fast, everyone would be fast. So for us,
it's about getting that knowledge and understand everything a little better.
It could be a part of me being a rookie coming in and needing to understand
the difference coming from an oval into a road course into a street circuit
and then back to an oval, adapting to all these things.
As a team, I think since Indy we've taken things more simple. Just thought
more logic. What does the car need? Keep it simple. No need to turn the car
upside down, just bits and pieces, just fine tune. I think that's helped us
quite a bit in the second half of the season. Obviously, also, the car needs
to be competitive as soon as you load the truck.
|
| After qualifying P3, Christian Lundgaard, pictured here on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, held on and avoided the roughly $800,000 in estimated race car damage to finish P8 at Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. The level of contact between drivers led Pato O'Ward to call Nashville the "Crashville" Grand Prix, Image Credit: Chris Owens via Penske Entertainment (2022) |
Q. Congratulations on the new deal. I have two questions. First of all, what
lessons did you learn after losing that point in Nashville in the last race?
You had so many years being a member of the Renault Alpine Academy. What's
your take about the whole (indiscernible) situation?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: About Nashville, I think it was a lot of different
things. We had burned our push-to-pass quite early in the race, fighting
Colton and Palou. I think in the beginning of the second stint I had a big
flat spot on my right tire that restart, which was the primary, and we knew we
had to go a long way on those tires. So we basically had to use some
push-to-pass to sort of -- I forgot that word. To stabilize it.
After that, with the red flag, I think if we wouldn't have had the red flag,
we would have finished second. But the last pit stop I made a mistake. So I
basically got jumped by Scott. In Indy these are the things we need to learn.
Coming into the next season -- and I know the team knows this because I spoke
to my engineers and the over board yesterday, as late as yesterday. We were
making changes and improving these kinds of things.
Honestly about the whole F1 stunt, I'll call it, I mean, we see it here with
Palou. Obviously, outside obviously I'm happy to not be in the position
because I don't think anyone wants to be in the position. It's unfortunate for
absolutely everybody. But I don't have any intel or any information on what's
going on from over there. I haven't even been contacted by anyone within the
team.
I'm not going to say I'm disappointed because I like being here. I prefer
being in INDYCAR, so I'm not too sad about it.
THE MODERATOR: Can I just say, though, as you're doing this and I'm listening
to you throughout the course of this last 35 minutes, compared to maybe at the
beginning of the season when you and I did some other things, you just seem
way more comfortable now. Is that an accurate statement?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No, I am. I think I've been extremely lucky, where I
actually ended up placing myself in this apartment because Indy Lights driver
Christian Rasmussen lives just down the hallway, the same building, and his
neighbor, pretty much his neighbor, is Marcus Ericsson. He's Swede, and we're
Danish. My girlfriend is Danish. Marcus' girlfriend is Danish. So we all hang
out.
That has helped me a lot because coming over here, there's nothing worse than
just sitting on your butt not doing anything. So I think that's just helped my
personal life, being comfortable, and I think everyone can relate to this. If
your personal life doesn't work, your work life doesn't work. So I've just
been incredibly fortunate to have this.
THE MODERATOR: That's great to hear actually. You can tell, I think even in
the performance like you mentioned.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Nothing has changed personally since, but yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Let's take a few more in English.
Q. I'm talking about this past Sunday marks one year since your debut in the
car in Indianapolis. In what aspects do you think you improved during this 365
days? And in what aspects do you think you have to improve considering you
have this deal with Rahal about that? And what do you think about it?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Obviously after the race last year, that was roughly in
the middle of the season in my F2 season. We weren't really performing very
well there. It was actually a very tough time, and I remember when I came over
here and I qualified fourth, I basically told everyone, my family and my
investors, sponsors, managers, et cetera, I've still got it. Don't worry. I've
still got it.
I think that personally was a big confidence boost doing the race, knowing
that I still had it, because the season wasn't going very well there. I can't
even remember what we finished, but it was a tough year for sure.
Which is also why I wanted to come over here because I know that we performed
very well at that event even with food poisoning on Sunday. It was tough, a
tough time. I think even in the beginning of the season this year was tough.
But all the hard work and dedication pays off now. We've seen it with our
podium and our third in qualifying in Nashville.
So we've got to keep digging. We will keep digging. There will always be
things you can improve. I think there is many things -- it's simple things
that just needs to be done, just not making mistakes in the pit stop. Just
being consistent. I rather want to be the guy who does it right every time
than being the guy that does it absolutely perfect one out of six.
All of these things, just being consistent and reliable.
Q. One of your bosses for Rahal commented recently that Sebastian Vettel, that
if he has an opportunity to test with an INDYCAR, then the team will give this
opportunity to Sebastian. Would you like to see Sebastian in INDYCAR? How
positive do you think that this move, this incorporation to INDYCAR and
specifically for your team gives for the competition?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think it would be cool for Sebastian to drive an
INDYCAR honestly because it's -- I've driven Formula One cars. I've tested
quite a few days with Renault. So for me, I'm going to say it as it is. For
me, that was personally the easiest car I've ever driven. It's easy to drive
to a certain extent.
And the reason why we see Formula One being, I would say, split up in the
front of the field and then the midfield is extremely close, is that the car
is very easy to drive to a certain limit. Then finding that half a second to a
second is what's tough. Because the car's got so much downforce that it's
going to stick, right?
So I think for Sebastian to come over here and try a car that you need to
hustle, you need to work the car, and you aren't really driving -- the car
isn't driving you. You are driving the car. I think that's going to be a tough
transition. But I think honestly there's going to be a lot of F1 drivers that
I wish would try an INDYCAR.
Q. Christian, first congratulations on the contract expansion. I think it's a
great thing for you and the team. I know you live local to the shop and want
to spend time there. I think that's a very positive approach to success for
everybody around. I'd like to echo Dave's comments on your growth with the
interviews. I've always found you to be a mature, intelligent, and articulate
person to these interviews.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Thank you.
Q. A little more comfortable now.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: For sure, of course.
Q. Having spent a lot of time in Europe in the different series and having
started in car, now that you're in INDYCAR, what do you think could be adopted
by INDYCAR from any of those series that would make the INDYCAR racing better?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: That's actually a very, very good question because I
think on the way through a season you pinpoint things that could be different.
Thinking about it now, they all blur, like I can't really pinpoint one or
more.
What can I use as an example? I don't know right now.
Q. Fair enough. Just wondering if there's anything procedural.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Honestly, it's a very, very good question because I think
looking at it, I'd prefer here's -- obviously then I wouldn't really want to
take anything from there. But I think there's things that's good.
I love the warmups we have here. I think Europe should do that. We do practice
qualifying, practice, practice qualifying warmup on Sunday morning, and then
we race on Sunday. I think it's just great because it isolates the qualifying
performance and the race performance more because you focus on making the car
as absolute fast as you can, and then you wake up Sunday morning and it's race
time and you focus on the race, where you can build and prepare your race car
Sunday morning. I think that's great. That's something I really like.
The other way around, I can't think of anything right now.
Q. Christian, two questions here. With your success the last couple races, how
much confidence do you have going into Gateway, especially after testing there
last week?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think for us Gateway wasn't -- we weren't that
competitive as we would hope to have been, I think either in qualifying trim
or race trim. But I think for us, having done the test, the test was very good
for us in identifying things we need to work on. So I would say at the moment
I'm not the most confident, but I know that the team is going to work
extremely hard, we're all going to work extremely hard to be sure that we
improve our package. I'm not at all worried that, once race day comes, we'll
be more competitive than we are now.
Q. Your first INDYCAR race ever was last season at Indy, and you now qualified
fourth. What is something you know now that you wish you knew then?
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think last year I actually thought there was a fast
six. I think many people know this by now, there's only a Fast 12. The Fast 12
result was the qualifying. I made a few mistakes. I remember it very quickly,
turn four, going back to the back straight before the flat actually came, I
made a pretty big mistake there. So I knew there was going to be more time in,
and I can't remember if it was four-hundredths or so we were behind for pole.
So we had a good shot at it.
Food poisoning for the race certainly didn't help. Pretty much the whole team
had food poisoning on Sunday. I remember we all just looked at each other
Sunday morning, how did you sleep? Terrible. Oh, yeah, me too, and everyone.
That experience helped me a lot coming into every race this season, also being
more cautious about what I eat for sure.
No, I've got more experience. It's difficult to pinpoint because I didn't have
any experience on tires. Sunday morning in warmup -- again, the warmup is
great for especially this. That was the first time I ran the car in full fuel
and race trim and long stints, but it's only half an hour so we couldn't do
much. I wish I would have learned more then to be more and better prepared for
the race.
THE MODERATOR: I know you're self-conscious about your English, but you really
do speak it well.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Me?
THE MODERATOR: Yeah, you. You talk about Danish users native tongue.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I live in America. I lived in the UK last year.
THE MODERATOR: I know, but you're quick to say, oh, Danish, I can speak that.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Which is actually very true. I sat in the driver room in
the truck with Jack, and I can't remember if Graham was there. But I sat there
with my girlfriend, and we were speaking Danish. Then he asked me a question,
and he was just like, how did you just go from one language to another?
Obviously he only knows English. He was like how do you do that? Talent. It's
something I'm born with, I don't know.
If you know more languages, I think it's just more common and natural to be
able to swap. But it is good. I know two languages. You probably only know
one.
THE MODERATOR: And I'm still struggling with the one, I'll be honest with you.
Congratulations on the new deal. Safe travels to World Wide Technology
Raceway, and we'll see you in a couple days.
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: He's the driver of the No. 30 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan
Racing and the Shield Cleansers Honda. It is Christian Lundgaard. If you're
not going to join us in person, coverage of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500
presented by Axalta and Valvoline begins at 6:00 p.m. eastern. See it live on
USA, Peacock Premium, and you can listen to the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Thanks everybody. Have a great rest of the afternoon.
[ht: FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports]
Many followers of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES have noted this is the closest
top-six battle this late in the season in the history of the series’
current 20-plus-year points structure. The next three races will settle
just who has the luck, patience, courage, team coordination, and critical
set-ups to take home the
Astor Cup
between
Will Power,
Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson,
Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, and
Scott McLaughlin
come September. Pretty much an all
House Of Penske
or
Chip Ganassi Racing
show.
Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Friday: NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, 1-2 p.m.; Indy Lights practice, 3:10-4
p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying, 4:15-5:15 p.m.; Indy Lights qualifying,
6:15-6:45 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, 6-6:30 p.m. and 6:45-7:45 p.m.
Saturday: Indy Lights race, 4:15 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES' Bommarito
Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline, 6 p.m. (USA Network
and the INDYCAR Radio Network).
... notes from
The EDJE
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