Canapino’s happiness after the great debut in IndyCar: “I feel much better than I imagined”

Agostino Canapino draw successfully his first test in IndyCar. At 33, the age when many of his peers are starting to contemplate retirement, the Argentine has made an auspicious debut in this huge challenge of running Formula 1 motorsport in the United States. He was one of twelve entrants who put in the 101 laps yesterday to finish a very eventful race at the Saint Petersburg street circuit near Tampa Bay in the state of Florida.

The balance sheet is more than positive. Especially since it was his first time in single-seaters, given that his career began in simulators and then continued, with enormous success, in touring cars. So, everything is new to the reef. All different.

“It’s like riding a tricycle or driving a truck and the truth is that it is. An abysmal difference with what I did. It’s costing me a lot, but they are much better than I imagined, than everyone expected. I’m pleasantly surprised by that,” she said.

“I’m not here to perform miracles, it will cost me a lot. I’m also part of a development team.”

Agostino Canapino

The arreciefeño knows that you can’t rest on your laurels. He knows this because that’s how he built his highly successful career in Argentine motorsport. But he knows better because he still has a lot to learn. Is that IndyCar combines these narrow street circuits like last Sunday with traditional ovals. And Canapino never in his life raced on such a track. That’s why he believes it is essential that there is just under a month left for the second round of the season, which will be held between Saturday April 1 and Sunday April 2, on the oval circuit of the Texas Motor Speedway.

“I have never driven an oval in my life, except with IndyCar. (The Spanish rider) Álex Palou gave me a couple of not very encouraging pieces of advice: that you had a lot of fun at the first test. But they all say the same thing, which is very difficult and takes time to get used to. I’m going to take it slow, progressing slowly,” he explained.

However, despite the difficulties that await him, Canapino aims for more. “I hope I can prove I can do well so they give me a second year. Because that’s where I can really think about getting into the top 10 or top 5 in some races. Thinking about it this year is very utopian. I’m not far from the top 20 , if I can make one in a race for me it’s like winning. My biggest challenge now is to finish it. An IndyCar race is very tough, physically it’s tremendous, very demanding and lasts two hours. First I have to try to finish the races and then think of some decent results,” explained the man who arrived in the United States with compatriot Ricardo Juncos and who will try to make his way racing in the Dallara-Chevrolet of Juncos Hollinger Racing.