Bryan Herta Autosport has announced that veteran Alex Tagliani will step down as regular driver for the team and could potentially be replaced by long-time GP2 frontrunner Luca Filippi.
According to a team statement issued Friday, Filippi will test an IndyCar for the squad at Mid-Ohio on Wednesday with a view to potentially replacing Alex Tagliani at the track's forthcoming race next week-end.
Tagliani has agreed to step out of the race seat following but, according to the same statement, will remain under contract to the team through to the end of the season.
As we had reported last year, the 27-year-old Italian was on the verge to make his debut in IndyCar with Rahal Letterman Lanigan last season but a sponsorship deal fell thru at the last moment.
The team has struggled this year as Tagliani currently lies 21st in the drivers' championship while the team is stranded in 23rd in the entrants' points.
The team has had its share of problems last year when it raced with Lotus engines. But, when it struck a deal with Honda, Tagliani and the team began to be at the forefront and had quite a few good results which left everyone optimistic about the 2013 season.
Unfortunately, the Canadian best results so far is a pair of 10th places in St Petersburg and the second Toronto race.
Former Panther Racing driver JR Hildebrand is another mooted contender for a BHA appearance before the season is out.
According to a team statement issued Friday, Filippi will test an IndyCar for the squad at Mid-Ohio on Wednesday with a view to potentially replacing Alex Tagliani at the track's forthcoming race next week-end.
Tagliani has agreed to step out of the race seat following but, according to the same statement, will remain under contract to the team through to the end of the season.
As we had reported last year, the 27-year-old Italian was on the verge to make his debut in IndyCar with Rahal Letterman Lanigan last season but a sponsorship deal fell thru at the last moment.
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| Luca Filippi in GP2 (Photo: lucafilippi.com) |
The team has struggled this year as Tagliani currently lies 21st in the drivers' championship while the team is stranded in 23rd in the entrants' points.
The team has had its share of problems last year when it raced with Lotus engines. But, when it struck a deal with Honda, Tagliani and the team began to be at the forefront and had quite a few good results which left everyone optimistic about the 2013 season.
Unfortunately, the Canadian best results so far is a pair of 10th places in St Petersburg and the second Toronto race.
Former Panther Racing driver JR Hildebrand is another mooted contender for a BHA appearance before the season is out.