The feud between Patrick Carpentier and his Indy Racing League team owner
Eddie Cheever has been sorted out and both are now on the same page, Cheever
told The Toronto Sun on Friday
source:
autonet.ca by Dean McNulty
Earlier this month, Cheever sent a letter to Carpentier that was critical of the
driver's contribution to the Red Bull Cheever team.
As a result of the criticism, a steamed Carpentier threatened that he would quit
the team following the Indianapolis 500 tomorrow.
But the waters apparently have been calmed and Cheever said yesterday that he
just wanted Carpentier's full attention.
"This is a very open working environment," Cheever said. "There were things that
we wanted from Patrick."
Such as more hands-on feedback from the Joliette, Que., native about the
performance of the team.
Cheever said that a team meeting following the spat resulted in a major change
in the chemistry in the race shop and on the track.
"This was a new experience for Patrick, where there is constructive criticism,"
Cheever said. "The Patrick we had after our meetings was double what we had
before. I want everything that Patrick has to give."
Cheever said that he expected Carpentier to show some leadership -- something
maybe he didn't have to do when teamed with Toronto's Paul Tracy at Forsythe
Championship Racing in the Champ Car series.
"I think Patrick was working in a different environment (at Forsythe)," Cheever
said. "Here we want Patrick to be the leader."
Cheever said that he never doubted the talent that Carpentier could bring to his
team.
"I don't even know if Patrick knows how talented he is," Cheever said.
A big part of the problem is that the team's Toyota engine is not giving it as
much horsepower as Honda is giving its teams.
"Toyota is behind Honda and they know that," Cheever said.
In final practice yesterday for the Indy 500, Carpentier still was well off the
pace with a best lap of 218.867 miles per hour.
Danica Patrick, in the Rahal-Letterman Honda, posted the fastest lap at 225.597
m.p.h.
She was followed by Tony Kanaan in an Andretti-Green Honda at 225.451 m.p.h. and
his teammate, Dan Weldon, at 225.262 m.p.h.
The fastest Toyota yesterday was the Penske Racing entry of Sam Hornish Jr. with
a lap of 225.003, good enough for fourth on the day.
Carpentier said while his car had developed a push he was confident the team
could fix it by race day.
Cheever said that he has faith that Carpentier can help the team develop into
one that consistently can be among the IRL leaders.
"I can't drive the car," Cheever, a former Indy 500 winner, said, adding that he
understands Carpentier's frustration at consistently being slower than the Honda
teams at Indy.
"Nobody likes to run bad," he said. "It's now up to the team to get a better
engine and a better car for him."