Ana Beatriz to Drive for Andretti Autosport at São Paolo & Indy

Andretti Autosport has added Ana Beatriz to the team’s driver lineup for two IZOD IndyCar Series races in 2012. Beatriz will race for Andretti Autosport in her hometown event, the São Paulo Indy 300 (April 27-29), and then attempt to make her third Indianapolis 500 start in May as a co-entrant for Andretti Autosport with operational support from Conquest Racing. Beatriz will race the No. 25 Chevrolet sponsored by Ipiranga, one of Brazil’s iconic petroleum and convenience retail companies.

The 27-year-old Beatriz will drive the fourth entry for Andretti Autosport at São Paulo, joining teammates Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay. For the Indianapolis 500 she will pilot a fifth DW12 for Andretti (Sebastian Saavedra will be the team’s fourth driver in an AFS Racing co-entry). Beatriz completed a test session with Andretti Autosport in March at Sebring International Raceway.

“I’ve been watching Bia for a few years," said Michael Andretti, Chairman, President and CEO of Andretti Autosport. "She was very strong in Firestone Indy Lights, and I was impressed by the pace she showed there. This opportunity is a good fit for us as a team. Brazil is an important, growing market for many of our sponsors, so to have a Brazilian driver and Ipiranga come aboard with us made a lot of sense. This opportunity came to us late so we are grateful for the operational support provided by Conquest Racing.”

Beatriz has 20 previous starts in the IZOD IndyCar Series, with a career-best finish of 11th at Toronto in 2011. She made her first IndyCar start in 2010 at the São Paolo race. She is the first Brazilian woman to start in the Indianapolis 500, where she has twice finished 21st.

“Driving for Andretti Autosport is the biggest opportunity I’ve had in IndyCar and my career," Beatriz said. "I am very honored to be part of Michael’s (Andretti) team for Brazil and the Indy 500. I would like to thank my management team, Andre Ribeiro and Augusto Cesario, for putting this deal together with Michael, John (Lopes) and JF (Thormann). Also I am very happy to have Ipiranga supporting me again for these races and Andretti couldn't be a better fit. I am very much looking forward to working with the team, Marco (Andretti), James (Hinchcliffe) and Ryan (Hunter-Reay).”

Beatriz, who goes by the nickname ‘Bia,’came up through the Brazilian karting and open wheel ranks before she entered Firestone Indy Lights in 2008. She was the first woman to win in the series with a victory at Nashville in 2008, and she followed-up with a second oval win at Iowa in 2009.

This has come as a total surprise to me until I remembered, she's kind of a pay driver.

She may be a pay driver, but she's 2 for 2 at Indy qualifying in Dreyer & Reinbold equipment, and she qualified better than Saavedra and Hunter-Reay did last year.

Saavedra really is not very good, qualifying in front of him isn't really an accomplishment. I like Ana, just very surprised this came about.

Ana isn't the greatest driver ever, but I've always liked her though. Hopefully she can have solid runs in both of her races.

This also proves that Conquest Racing maybe struggling more than we thought.

Implying that Beatriz is a bad driver.

AntmanB wrote:Implying that Beatriz is a bad driver.

>Not typing it like this.

Should be interesting to see what Ana can do. Being in a trashy car before-hand she's got another shot to prove her worth.

It will be interesting to see what Bia can do. Interestingly enough Andretti Autosport also hired the guy that drove the 24 car before Ana Beatriz: ConMan. And we all know what his previous two Indy 500s look like. I think that with the right car Bia can be fast. Remember she was great in the Indy Lights.

I would say Beatriz is confirmed for the Brazil race promoter's choice, but right now, Tony Kanaan could DNQ if Beatriz got it.

flyingturns89 wrote:IndyCar has announced that in 2012 certain fields will be capped at 26 cars. Currently, the only two races with this cap are San Paulo, Brazil and Qingdao, China. The rules to get on the entry list:

Cars 1-24: The Top 24 cars in 2012 owner's points.
Car 25: The highest finishing car in 2011 owner's points not already in the field.
Car 26 (And possibly the dumbest racing rule I've ever heard in my entire life): A driver selected by the track promoter.

All other cars will rejected from even being allowed to enter.

Thoughts?

for people who have no idea what flyingturns is talking about