INDYCAR: Filippi aiming for full-time opportunity

Road course ace Luca Filippi hopes learning the art of oval driving will land a full-time drive in the Verizon IndyCar Series. Fresh from two days of testing on the one-mile Phoenix oval with Dale Coyne Racing, the friendly Italian says expanding his road racing expertise to include ovals is the key to being considered for more than part-time opportunities in his native discipline. (Watch video interview below.)

"When I decided that I wanted to become an IndyCar driver, I knew this day had to come sooner or later, and I couldn't wait for it," Filippi told RACER during the Phoenix event. "I'm really happy to finally become a little more of an oval driver; I have plenty of things to learn. I really want to learn, I want to understand how this new challenge for me [and] where we can [go]. Honestly, I'm enjoying racing the car on the oval. It's not easy. But the feeling I get from the car is positive, it's good. I just can't wait to also race these guys in a [oval] race."

Filippi's skills brought the GP2 veteran to IndyCar in 2013 with Bryan Herta Autosport, earned a return with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2014, and led to a 10-race stint with Carpenter Fisher Hartman Racing last year. With no oval experience (other than a brief test at Iowa), the 30-year-old realized landing a full-time seat for 2016 would require going outside his comfort zone.

"I could be very competitive on road courses, street courses; on ovals, I will need to learn quite a lot," he added. "I think it takes time to be as fast as those guys out there. Some of them are racing ovals [for] 10 years or more. I think it takes a season or two [to learn]. Hopefully if I get this chance, in the future I would like to see if I could become a good oval racer."

With Conor Daly already confirmed at Coyne's team, Filippi wants nothing more than to be confirmed as his teammate. The two tested again this week at Sebring, and with one seat left to confirm for the season, Filippi would appear to be in a good position to open the year alongside the American when the championship begins next week in St. Petersburg.

"With Conor, we have a great relationship," he said. "We're working well together. I see the team is really motivated to do well. They really want to push the level of the team further, and I think they see the possibility with this combination of myself and Conor. I think we could do some positive things this year and maybe some strong results as well."