Pagenaud, Legge, Newgarden classed as rookies for 2012
IndyCar, IndyCar commentary — By More Front Wing Staff on March 2, 2012 12:02 pmNineteen years in Formula 1 has proven to be too much experience to allow Rubens Barrichello to contest the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series as a rookie.
INDYCAR President of Competition Beaux Barfield announced yesterday that Simon Pagenaud, Katherine Legge, and Josef Newgarden will be the drivers competing for the 2012 Rookie of the Year title.
Both Pagenaud and Legge arrive for the 2012 season with experience in Champ Car — Legge having contested full seasons in 2006 and 2007, and Pagenaud also having competed full-time in 2007 — and Pagenaud also posted three IZOD IndyCar Series starts in 2011.
Josef Newgarden, who landed his drive with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing for the upcoming year with financial assistance after winning the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights championship, is the only driver to begin the 2012 IICS season with no previous top-level starts in open-wheel racing.
Barrichello will be classified as a rookie in the Indianapolis 500.
Tags: Josef Newgarden, Katherine Legge, Rubens Barrichello, Simon Pagenaud, Verizon IndyCar Series - Administration
What? Pagenaud won Petit Le Mans and finished second at the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Horas of Le Mans! He’s hardly a rookie.