Laguna performance a 'good comeback' for rising PREMA – Ilott

PREMA Racing’s strong second half of the IndyCar season continued at the Java House Gand Prix of Monterey as Callum Ilott vaulted from 24th to sixth in the No. 83 Chevy, marking the rookie team’s best finish of the year at Laguna Seca.

“Good comeback,” the Briton told RACER. “Had a tough, tough couple of days before; we couldn't quite find the right movement forward with the car, and we turned things around last night. Car was great. Pace was great. I think I lacked a little bit of peak pace, but the (tire) degradation pace at the end was really good. Once we were in a good position, I was just trying to keep it for the team. I wasn't there to take many risks, and they've done a really good job with the pit stops and turning around this car.”

PREMA’s gone through all of the expected ups and downs that come with being a first-time IndyCar team, but Ilott and teammate Robert Shwartzman are hitting their stride with three combined top 10 finishes in the last three races. Shwartzman was ninth at the second Iowa race, Ilott was eighth last weekend at Toronto, and with the improvement to sixth in Monterey, there’s a reason to be impressed with how far the program has come in its first year.

“Yeah, we're getting there,” Ilott said. “When everything clicks ... we're really good, and it's about getting it to click 100 percent of the time. I think it's tough – when we're not quite on it, we're quite a bit off, but we've been finding our pace a lot the last couple of races, just putting it together and chipping away.”