Past Driver Columns Category

By Colton Herta, Driver Columnist Providing an inside look for the fans, Colton Herta contributed the latest driver journal to Motorsports Tribune to discuss his rookie campaign in the 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season. The 17-year-old Californian and second-generation star enjoyed two wins, seven podiums and a series-leading seven poles with Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing en route to third in the overall championship standings. Looking back on my first season in Indy Lights, I think I was most surprised by the speed we had in the first few weeks. I thoughtRead More

By Takuma Sato, Driver Columnist In his sixth column for Motorsports Tribune, Takuma Sato discusses his return to form in the Verizon IndyCar Series round at Mid-Ohio, readying for the ‘Tricky Triangle’ known as Pocono Raceway, the 2018 Indy car and earning a Japanese lifetime achievement award for his performance in winning the 101st Indianapolis 500. Rebounding at Mid-Ohio I was reasonably happy. Obviously, qualifying third and finishing fifth isn’t the perfect scenario, but I was happy to have a strong race. It was a long time since I had a raceRead More

By Ryan Norman, Driver Columnist Providing an inside look for the fans, Ryan Norman will be contributing to Motorsports Tribune selectively throughout the 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season. The 19-year-old Ohio native drives for Andretti Autosport and is in rookie campaign in the Mazda Road to Indy. In this installment, he returns home to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, hangs out with four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and welcomes one of the all-time classic rock bands to racing. Mid-Ohio is one of my favorite tracks, one of theRead More

By Takuma Sato, Driver Columnist In his fifth column for Motorsports Tribune, Takuma Sato takes us inside the cockpit on how he won the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500, the second consecutive for Andretti Autosport. He also carried that momentum into the Detroit doubleheader with two solid top five finishes and now sits third in the Verizon IndyCar Series championship standings as they ready for this weekend’s race at Texas. The Final Run to Victory It’s all about timing and it worked out perfectly. There was 22 laps to goRead More

By Takuma Sato, Driver Columnist In his fourth column for Motorsports Tribune, Takuma Sato highlights some of his favorite memories of the Indianapolis 500 as he prepares for his eighth start, first with the defending champions, Andretti Autosport. He also gives an update on how two-time Formula One champion-turned-teammate Fernando Alonso is acclimating to the Verizon IndyCar Series in his one-off run at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The Indianapolis 500 means a lot to me, as I am sure it does to a lot of people. I’ve learned that as youRead More

By Nico Jamin, Driver Columnist Providing an inside look for the fans, Nico Jamin will be contributing to Motorsports Tribune selectively throughout the 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season. For his opening column, the 21-year-old Frenchman goes into his maiden series win with Andretti Autosport, taking to sports cars and readying for a busy month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Being a rookie and getting my first Indy Lights win in Race 1 at Barber Motorsports Park was amazing and following it up with a podium the nextRead More

By Takuma Sato, Driver Columnist In his third column for Motorsports Tribune, Takuma Sato talks about the tough times trying to tackle the Grand Prix of Long Beach, testing in Texas, unveiling his own brand of wine and having former Formula One opponent Fernando Alonso as a teammate at Andretti Autosport for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500. From Long Beach to Texas Long Beach was a tough weekend and we were left with a disappointing outcome. There was a little bit of up and down run by us in practiceRead More

By Takuma Sato, Driver Columnist In his second column for Motorsports Tribune, Takuma Sato discusses some of the improvements made by Honda and Andretti Autosport as they prepare for the Grand Prix of Long Beach, and reveals some of the small rigors of what he did over the three-week break between races. Constantly Improving I’m really excited to return to Long Beach. To be honest, with no change in the aero package from last year to this year, we knew we were coming into an uphill battle on road and streetRead More

By Dalton Kellett, Driver Columnist Providing an inside look for the fans, Dalton Kellett will be contributing to Motorsports Tribune selectively throughout the 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season. For his opening column, the 23-year-old Canadian will talk about taking the role as a veteran at Andretti Autosport and some of his plans during a long break before preparing for the April 21-23 doubleheader at Barber Motorsports Park. Growing Up I think one of the big things for me going through my time in Mazda Road to Indy hasRead More

By Takuma Sato, Driver Columnist In his opening column for Motorsports Tribune, Takuma Sato discusses his Andretti Autosport debut in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and brings everyone up to speed with how he went from Formula 1 to competing in the Indianapolis 500. Debuting for Andretti Autosport It has been so exciting from the moment I joined the team. It was a long winter and off-season, but a lot of things have happened. However, from the IndyCar regulations to the time that I signed up to driveRead More