Sebastián Saavedra

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Sebastian Saavedra
File:Sebastian Saavedra Indy 2011.jpg
Sebastian Saavedra at the 2011 Indy 500
Nationality Colombia Colombian
Born (1990-06-02) June 2, 1990 (age 34)
Bogotá, Colombia
Verizon IndyCar Series career
Debut season 2010
Current team Chip Ganassi Racing
Car no. 8
Former teams Bryan Herta Autosport (2010)
Conquest Racing(2011)
Andretti Autosport (2012)
Dragon Racing (2013)
KV Racing Technology (2014)
Starts 34
Wins 0
Poles 1
Fastest laps 0
Best finish 25th in 2011
Previous series
2009–10, 2012
2008
2008
2007
2006–2007
2006–07		 Indy Lights
ATS Formel 3 Cup
Austria Formula 3 Cup
Formula BMW Pacific
Formula BMW USA
Formula BMW ADAC
Awards
2009 Indy Lights Rookie of the Year

Sebastian Saavedra (born June 2, 1990) is a Colombian racing driver from Bogotá. In 2014, he drove for KVSH Racing in the Verizon IndyCar Series before being replaced by former GP2 Series driver Stefano Coletti.

Racing career

Early career

After a childhood in karting, Saavedra drove in Formula BMW USA for Gelles Racing, finishing 11th in points. He also drove in two races in Formula BMW ADAC and competed in the Formula BMW World Final, finishing 32nd. In 2007 he switched teams in Formula BMW USA to Eurointernational and captured one win and finished 12th in points despite only competing in 8 of 14 races. He also competed in 6 Formula BMW Asia races capturing 3 wins, two races in Formula BMW ADAC, and finished 4th in the Formula BMW World Final. In 2008 he moved to ATS Formel 3 Cup and finished 2nd in points with 3 wins for HS Technik Motorsport. He also competed in a number of Austria Formula 3 Cup races and finished 9th in points. Sebastian is a well known brony (male fan of my little pony).

Indy Lights and 2010 Indy 500

In 2009 he signed to drive in the American Firestone Indy Lights Series in 2009 for defending championship team AGR-AFS Racing alongside teammate J. R. Hildebrand. He captured his first Indy Lights win in the fourth race of the season and the first on an oval, at Kansas Speedway in April. In July he won from the pole on the streets of Toronto.

He returned to the series in 2010 for Bryan Herta Autosport and made his IndyCar Series debut in the 2010 Indianapolis 500 driving for the same team.[1] Saavedra was on the bubble during most of qualifying during bump day, and crashed during practice laps while waiting for other drivers to attempt to qualify. While he was in the hospital being checked out, and with no working car to attempt to re-qualify, Saavedra appeared out of the race when Tony Kanaan bettered his time knocking him out of the field. However, when both Paul Tracy and Jay Howard withdrew their successful qualifying times and failed to re-qualify (both felt they would be knocked out by other drivers if they did not improve), Saavedra improbably ended up back in position thirty-three and in the race when time ran out for attempts.[2] Saavedra crashed out in a single car accident on lap 159 and was credited with 23rd place in the race. The following month, Saavedra captured Bryan Herta Autosport's second Indy Lights win in the AvoidTheStork.com 100 at Iowa Speedway.

On September 4, 2010, Saavedra officially terminated his contract with Bryan Herta Autosport due to the team's inability to meet contract standards after a string of car failures and negative results.

IndyCar Series

File:Sebastián Saavedra - 2015 500 Festival Parade - Stierch.jpg
Saavedra at the 2015 Indianapolis 500

Saavedra competed in the IndyCar Series season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway for Conquest Racing. He signed on to return to Conquest for the full 2011 IndyCar Series season in the team's #34 car.[3] Driving for the single-car Conquest team, Saavedra's best finish was eleventh in the 2011 São Paulo Indy 300. Saavedra failed to qualify for the 2011 Indianapolis 500 while his one-off teammate Pippa Mann qualified for the race. He was replaced in the Conquest car by João Paulo de Oliveira for the Motegi race and Dillon Battistini at the Kentucky Speedway, but returned to the car for the season finale in Las Vegas, which was cancelled after Dan Wheldon's fatal crash. Saavedra finished 25th in the final championship standings.

For 2012 Saavedra returned to AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport to race a full season in Indy Lights and also drove in the IndyCar Series in the 2012 Indianapolis 500 as well as the series' races at Sonoma Raceway and Auto Club Speedway.

For 2014, Saavedra signed with KV Racing Technology, racing under the KV/AFS banner. In the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianoplis, Saavedra qualified 1st with a time of 01:23.8822. He stalled when he was starting and he collided with Carlos Munoz and Mikhail Aleshin on the first lap. His best result throughout the year was 9th in Long Beach.

In 2015, Saavedra joined Chip Ganassi Racing split time in the #8 with Sage Karam.[4] Saavedra ran the Indy 500 in a fifth car entered by Ganassi with the #17. During the race, Saavedra collided with Jack Hawksworth and hit the Turn 4 wall. After bouncing off, his car was hit just in front of the driver's cockpit by Stefano Coletti. Saavedra was unable to leave the accident under his own power; Saavedra's boot had to be cut off to remove him from the car, after which he was carried by the safety team into an ambulance.

Career results

American open–wheel racing results

(key)

Indy Lights

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Rank Points
2009 AGR-AFS Racing STP1
26		 STP2
2		 LBH
8		 KAN
1		 INDY
5		 MIL
3		 IOW
15		 WGL
18		 TOR
1		 EDM
3		 KTY
2		 MDO
18		 SNM
7		 CHI
6		 HMS
3		 3rd 446
2010 Bryan Herta Autosport STP
12		 ALA
3		 LBH
4		 INDY
9		 IOW
1		 WGL
3		 TOR
14		 EDM
6		 MDO
5		 SNM
15		 CHI
11		 KTY HMS 8th 303
2012 AFS Racing
Andretti Autosport		 STP
3		 ALA
1		 LBH
2		 INDY
5		 DET
6		 MIL
2		 IOW
13		 TOR
2		 EDM
2		 TRO
9		 BAL
10		 FON
14		 4th 383

IndyCar Series

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Rank Points
2010 Bryan Herta Autosport Dallara Honda SAO STP ALA LBH KAN INDY
23		 TXS IOW WGL TOR EDM MDO SNM CHI KTY MOT 33rd 29
Conquest Racing HMS
16
2011 STP
13		 ALA
26		 LBH
14		 SAO
11		 INDY
DNQ		 TXS
28		 TXS
29		 MIL
23		 IOW
20		 TOR
25		 EDM
16		 MDO
27		 NHM
15		 SNM
14		 BAL
13		 MOT KTY LVS1
C		 25th 178
2012 Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12 Chevrolet STP ALA LBH SAO INDY
26		 DET TXS MIL IOW TOR EDM MDO SNM
15		 BAL FON
21		 27th 41
2013 Dragon Racing STP
20		 ALA
20		 LBH
27		 SAO
19		 INDY
32		 DET
22		 DET
10		 TXS
14		 MIL
13		 IOW
19		 POC
23		 TOR
16		 TOR
15		 MDO
19		 SNM
21		 BAL
8		 HOU
14		 HOU
12		 FON
24		 21st 236
2014 KV Racing Technology STP
11		 LBH
9		 ALA
18		 IMS
23		 INDY
15		 DET
14		 DET
22		 TXS
17		 HOU
15		 HOU
17		 POC
15		 IOW
17		 TOR
19		 TOR
21		 MDO
20		 MIL
18		 SNM
16		 FON
17		 21st 291
2015 Chip Ganassi Racing STP NLA LBH
10		 ALA IMS
17		 INDY
23		 DET
 DET
 TXS
 TOR
16		 FON
 MIL
 IOW
 MDO
 POC
 SNM
13		 25th 95
1 The Las Vegas Indy 300 was abandoned after Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in a 15-car crash on lap 11.
Years Teams Races Poles Wins Podiums
(Non-win)		 Top 10s
(Non-podium)		 Indianapolis 500
Wins		 Championships
6 6 60 1 0 0 4 0 0

Indianapolis 500

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2010 Dallara Honda 32 23 Bryan Herta Autosport
2011 Dallara Honda DNQ Conquest Racing
2012 Dallara Chevrolet 24 26 Andretti Autosport/AFS Racing
2013 Dallara Chevrolet 27 32 Dragon Racing
2014 Dallara Chevrolet 32 15 KV Racing Technology
2015 Dallara Chevrolet 28 23 Chip Ganassi Racing

References

  1. ↑ Bryan Herta Autosport to contest Indy 500, AutoWeek, February 24, 2010, Retrieved 2010-03-07
  2. ↑ Kanaan crashes again at practice, still makes cut at Indy CBSSports.com May 23, 2010
  3. ↑ Saavedra Joins Conquest For 2011, Speed, March 14, 2011, Retrieved 2011-03-15
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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