Scuderia Corsa, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Enters Servia in Indianapolis 500

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Oriol Servia is now entered in the Indianapolis 500.

In a new partnership between Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship team Scuderia Corsa, Servia will attempt to qualify the No. 64 Honda in what could be his 10th Indianapolis 500.

“It is an honor to compete at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” said Scuderia Corsa team owner Giacomo Mattioli in a team release.

“To be a part of this great racing heritage and tradition is something I always envisioned for Scuderia Corsa and running across the yard of the bricks this year is a thrill.   I am excited to be partnering with Bobby Rahal and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, such an outstanding and established team, as well as having veteran IndyCar series driver Oriol Servia onboard.”

Over his 201 Indy car starts, Servia has driven for the Rahal-led squad four times at the Indy 500, with his best result with the team being 11th in 2014. The Spaniard’s best finish at Indianapolis was fourth in 2012 with Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

“As you can imagine, I’m very excited first to be at the 500,” said Servia, during a media availability.

“If you remember last year’s race, we were running really strong until it came to an abrupt end with 10 laps to go. Especially doing it with Bobby’s team, I’m pretty sure it’s no surprise to anyone that it will be our fourth together – fifth actually. But obviously (it) was not enough, so we needed another party to ensure we’re going to win.”

RLL Racing team co-owner Rahal was proud of his team’s efforts for this year.

“I think it’s really kind of a great coming together of three very powerful forces,” said Rahal.

“I’ve gotten to know Giacomo over the last year or so in our participation in the IMSA Series. They’ve been very, very successful with Ferrari in not just IMSA but in the WEC, in Europe and what have you.

“I think Oriol, we know that he can really contribute to our team’s performance at Indy, at any race really, but Indy in particular. Last year we were pretty close to figuring the final three, then an incident about 10 laps to go ended that.”

If Servia and teammates Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato qualify, it will be the first time RLLR will have three cars in the Indianapolis 500 since 2006 with Buddy Rice, Danica Patrick and Jeff Simmons behind the wheel.

RLL Racing last attempted to qualify three cars for the 500 in 2013, but Michel Jourdain Jr. was the only driver to miss the race that year.