IndyCar: Penske says Pagenaud opportunity worth the challenge of four cars

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Penske team president Tim Cindric says the squad has achieved a long-standing goal in signing Simon Pagenaud to drive a fourth car in its IndyCar lineup in 2015.

Pagenaud's arrival at Penske, which was confirmed on Monday, marks the first time that the team will field four full-time cars. Cindric admitted that the expansion will serve up some challenges, but said that the opportunity to get Pagenaud on board will make any additional burden worthwhile.

"It's the first time we've run four cars with Team Penske, so it will certainly be a challenge," he said. "Simon had had an association with [former Penske driver] Gil [de Ferran] back in the sports car days when we were running the ALMS program, and that's where we took notice of what his capabilities were.

"This has been the opportunity that we've had to bring him on board. If that meant changing to a four-car program, that's what we were prepared to do."

Team Penske added a third car for Juan Pablo Montoya in 2014 (pictured) after running just two cars for Will Power and Helio Castroneves the year before, and Cindric said that the success of that transition and the overall stability within the team made a competitive fourth car viable.

"I think if there was a time for us to add a fourth car, it was now," he said. "We feel we've at least got people in the right places. And our focus of expanding is really just a matter of enhancing what you have.

"What we learn from the NASCAR side of it is if you don't have the two cars right, it's hard to add a third car."

No date has been set for Pagenaud's first on-track appearance in Penske colors, but Cindric said that he hopes that the Frenchman can become involved in Chevrolet's track-testing program for its aero kit.

"Chevrolet has done a lot of work on the aero kit program over the past couple of years, as I'm sure Honda has," he said. "Understanding what the best approach is in how they plan to utilize their days... we're still working close with Chevrolet on that, and trying to incorporate Simon at some point in time would be great if we get that opportunity.

"But certainly before the year is out, we'd like to get him in our car at some point in time."