Oriol Servia will race for Andretti Autosport at this weekend’s Verizon IndyCar Series finale at Sonoma Raceway in the #25 entry as the team honour Justin Wilson, who died this week.
Wilson passed away as a result of a head injury suffered when he was hit by debris during last weekend’s race at Pocono Speedway, and his close friend Servia will now have the responsibility to race the car the Briton was set to see out the season in this weekend.
“Justin was a true racer and advocate to our sport,” said Michael Andretti, the team owner of Andretti Autosport.
“We will have Justin and his family in our hearts this weekend as we honor him in the way he would want us to, by doing what he loved – racing.”
Servia, who last raced in IndyCar in this season’s Indianapolis 500 when he raced for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, admitted it is difficult to put into words the events of the past week and what it means to him to pilot the car of Wilson.
“This is the most difficult quote I have ever had to come up with,” said Servia. “The situation is so difficult on so many levels for obvious reasons that it’s hard for the words to come out the right way.
“I have known and raced Justin for more than 10 years. I have an enormous amount of respect for him as a racer, but his qualities as a human were definitely an inspiration to anyone who ever met him.
“I truly feel he was one of these souls who has evolved a lot more than the rest of us, and it is something you could feel immediately during your first exchange with him. He will be greatly missed as we all try to emulate his spirit.
“I am honoured and emotional with the opportunity of driving his car this weekend. I want to thank my friends at Andretti Autosport for the opportunity, and I want to express how deeply touched I am by the desire of Julia, Stefan and all the Wilson family to have me driving the No. 25. “
