Criticism is high: Will the Indianapolis 500 have to do without 33 cars? – Pippa Mann calls for more respect for competitors
“So let’s have respect for the teams and drivers who make it happen,” says former IndyCar driver Pippa Mann on the shitstorm over the possible absence of a 33rd car at the Indy 500 in the 2022 IndyCar Series season. The Brit criticises the work of drivers and teams for not being valued enough to take part in the classic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“It’s that time of year when there’s a lot of talk on social media about whether the Indy 500 will have 33 entrants this year, and fans are sad that it might only be 33 drivers,” Mann explained of the situation. “For years I worked my butt off to be one of those 33 drivers. It’s so difficult to raise that much money, it’s so incredibly difficult, and there’s never enough money.”
The now 38-year-old has made the field seven times, failing to qualify once. Most recently, Mann competed for Clauson-Marshal in the Indianapolis 500-mile race in 2019. Her 16th-place finish was also her best individual result at the superspeedway at the time, but she hasn’t found a way to compete in the race since.
There has always been a lack of budget
But even in the past, her entries were constantly on the backburner. “There was never enough money for testing or extra time on the track,” she says. “I mean, who needs practice at this level? There was never enough money to pay me at the end of the month because all the money I took in went into the race car. “
Mann never earned anything from her starts at Indianapolis, the one-time IndyLights race winner reveals. “Instead, I was in the red every time,” Mann said. “Also, because I was taking four to six weeks off, I had no income at all during that time, and it took me months to get back out of the red.”
She put all her energy into the project because she had the will to contest the prestigious race – whatever the cost. That’s why, ahead of the 106th edition of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29, 2022, Mann is calling for more praise for the competitors who make it into the field. “Let’s respect the work that goes into every single car that takes to the track in May,” she says.
Who could put the 33rd car?
But is there a possibility in the 2022 season to fill the Indy 500’s eleventh starting row? Currently, the IndyCar Series is running out of candidates to complete the field for the classic event. AJ Foyt, Dale Coyne, and Juncos Hollinger, perhaps, but some teams lack the personnel to support another car for the Indy 500. Furthermore, the business model has to be right for such an effort to be worthwhile. Mann is not currently a candidate.
Paretta and Cusick remain accordingly. Simona de Silvestro started with Paretta in the Indy 500 in 2021 and just about qualified for the race. However, the chances of a return are currently considered unlikely. Cusick could start together with Stefan Wilson in Indianapolis. A one-off return of James Hinchcliffe in a third Coyne car was scrapped when the budget didn’t come together.
