With Verizon IndyCar Series officials looking into potential venues for future seasons of the championship, Esteban Gutierrez’s arrival could see Mexico return to the schedule.
Gutierrez made his IndyCar debut last weekend around the streets of Detroit and finished nineteenth and fourteenth in the two races for Dale Coyne Racing as Sebastien Bourdais’ replacement, and his friend and advisor Adrian Fernandez believes the Latin America ‘big hole’ that has been in the series since his team departed the championship at the end of 2006 could be filled by his fellow Mexican’s arrival.
Puebla, a 1.25-mile oval, is in line for a potential slot on the calendar in 2018, and Fernandez believes Gutierrez could be the draw IndyCar needs to make the event both work and thrive going forward.
“We had Formula 1 races in the past where we didn’t have any Mexican driver and they were successful, but IndyCar races there always had a Mexican driver, and they could be key to the success,” said Fernandez to Motorsport.com. “I think Esteban in IndyCar would be a perfect match.
“Indy cars were really, really successful and popular in Mexico. There is a huge Latin following here in America and I think the following that Formula 1 currently has in Mexico started with IndyCar.
“IndyCar and Formula 1 complement each other and the fanbase can’t get enough. Well, we have Mexican drivers in every single series but we were missing one in IndyCar. So I think this opportunity would be great timing for the series and for Esteban.”