Rosenqvist says Ganassi IndyCar test is a memory for life

The 2015 Formula 3 Euroseries champion entered 10 of the 18 Indy Lights races this year, competing for Belardi Auto Racing, and won three times – one race at St Petersburg plus the double-header at Toronto.

However, Rosenqvist’s Lights schedule was interrupted by his relationship with Mercedes-Benz, which saw him share a Mercedes-AMG GT3 with 2012 Lights champion Tristan Vautier in the Blancpain Sprint series in Europe.

Reflecting on his Lights campaign for Autosport’s Top 50 Drivers of the Year selection, the 25-year-old Swede commented: “I had some really tough weekends and some really good weekends. The ovals seemed quite tough for me.

“[But] overall it was really cool to spend time with Belardi. I had a nice time with my teammate Zach Veach as well."

Rosenqvist, who like Scott Dixon is managed by ex-Formula 1/IndyCar racer Stefan Johansson, admitted that a test in the then-defending IndyCar champion’s #9 Chip Ganassi Racing car at Mid-Ohio was a particular highlight of his times in North America this year.

"That was definitely a memory for life,” he said. “It’s the quickest car I’ve driven and also something really special to drive – Scott Dixon’s car with the same configuration as he was driving it, and also quite successfully.

“I’m still in contact with some teams over there. Maybe we’ll do something in the future."

Chris Simmons, race engineer for Dixon, told Motorsport.com he was deeply impressed with Rosenqvist’s performance that day.

He said: “He’d never driven an IndyCar or driven at Mid-Ohio before, and obviously it’s a very physical track and an extremely physical car. But he took to it like a duck to water – amazing.

“It wasn’t too long into the day when we were able to give him items on our test plan – aero pieces that we wanted to confirm were what we wanted for Mid-Ohio. And his feedback was spot on to what we would have expected.

“To be honest, he was pretty happy with the car the way it was, so it wasn’t like we tuned it a lot for him specifically, but adding or taking away pieces was immediately reflected in his laptimes. He could tell us what the pieces did to the handling and it all made sense.

“And when Scott took over, he confirmed the feedback Felix had given us.

“Overall, I’d say it was just a really professional, top-class performance from a rookie. Very impressive.”