Hello, this is Neil Allenby from FVTV. You join me at the grid for the US V-Prix here at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway - we are looking at a cracking race here today. So let's go down to the grid. Now I should mention as we walk onto the grid, ue to a scheduling mix up with the race organisers we won't be able to spend as much time as we normally do but hopefully we will get some good insights. It's a very busy grid today. Let's start at the top and see who we can find. On pole today is Klaas Van Snelheid in the Downton but alongside him is Timo Kinnumen in the Franklin, fantastic lap from him. He seems to be relatively free, he's just finishing up with the German TV team. I'll slide in now.
Tumo, fantastic result in quali for you yesterday, what do you think you can do from here? I think the pace in the car is there, it's the most comfortable I've felt all season so I push for the win. It won't be easy but it is possible. Yes the car looked very good. Now - obviously this is Franklin's last season, is there a big push within the team now to win the world championship and end on a high? For sure, we all want to give Franklin the send off they deserve, so we all push hard to make this happen. That would be quite the story, have a good race Tumo. Passing past the top rows, just going past Beyer, one of the stars of qualifying, but he's talking to Cory Evans and is in deep coversation, lets hope everything is fine for them. There's Powers who crashed yesterday, and I see Declan Johnson there, he is free so... Declan, this is becoming a common sight this season, one of your cars being on the front row of the grid. How has the development race been this year with the likes of Franklin, DS & First snapping at your heels? It's a sight I'm rather a fan of. I think you can see for yourself. Us and Franklin seem to have pulled a small gap, but you can never discount Mathershaw or FIRST, I expect them to fight us all the way this season. What are we looking at in terms of strategy for this race? Klaas is on mediums, Nathaniel on hards. That's the choices they made. It's very warm so I think anything softer will fall apart quite quick, but it should be an interesting one. If we knew how it would play out, both drivers would be on the same tyres! Nathaniel mentioned some issue with the engine after qualifying yesterday, all sorted? Yeah, all sorted. Nothing to worry about there. Great to hear, good luck for today. Let's see who else we can get. I see a lot of people personel, but not a lot of drivers at the moment. I'm going to stroll towards Adrien Simon's car - he's had quite an eventful week. Looks like he's just listening to some music. Pre race chill. Adrien, can we ask some questions for the grid walk? I imagine you expected more after practice but there's a long race still left. Are you hoping to get a podium or are we being unrealistic with that? For sure it’s less than ideal to start here, but we’re on a good tyre and hopefully with some good luck we can make our way forwards - I think a podium is ambitious though! There's been a lot of announcements about Mathershaw Porsche next year and you staying with them, will any of that affect you this season? I'm looking forward to 2020 but there is an awful lot of 2019 to go - I’m not the best one to ask! Great, thanks Adrien! It will certainly be interesting to see how Porsche does in 2020 but let's get back to now. Who else do we have, there's Nic Morely the founder of Formula Virtual. He seems to be having quite an in depth chat with the race organiser Will Steadman. Can I get in? .... Nope it looks like Frederick Wiesmann from Dutch TV has got there first and we are short on time. Oh I tell you who I've seen, a good friend in the paddock, Alex Easton, team principal of Phoenix. He's a little bit busy - he's talking to one of the engineers on Alvarez's car. Alex - quick word? I can see your busy. Your two drivers are 13th and 14th - you've made steady progress up the grid throughout the season, is there more to come from Phoenix this season? Yeah just making the final call on strategy, we’d expected some pretty mad stormy weather here today but it’s an absolute scorcher. We had a pretty standard qualifying for us, we seem to be towards the front of that massively tight, huge midfield group. Then - for the second race running - we were gifted positions by teams being excluded so that works in our favour, but it’s not what you like to see really. However, we’re absolutely buzzing with the progress we’ve made throughout the season, as we did last year. There’s definitely still more to come from us in the second half of the year, we’re in a huge fight for seventh in the championship and loving every minute of it! You've just kind of elluded to Ingram, are they up for the taking or is it too much for this year? They absolutely are, but the same could be said for Meteor chasing us! We believe that Ingram have a fair pace advantage over us but, as they showed earlier in the season, if they get bad luck at the wrong time it can make all the difference. The aim for us is to keep pushing within our financial limits and pick up whatever we can, whenever we can.. oh and keep smiling all the while! That's certainly a good policy to have. Have a good one Alex. Continuing through the grid, wow it's hot, I really regret bringing my jacket! There's Halvosen, god knows what he's doing here since he starts way further up the field but anyway. Johan, just a couple of questions before the race. You were one of the stars here last year, you're just outside the top 10, what can you do for the crowd today? Give them a good show, of course! Overtake a few people and get ourselves into the points again. We were very nearly there in Canada, and this is a track I really like, so looking to have a good result here. There's a possibility of rain for today and we saw last year how mad that was, are you hoping for some precipitation to help you for the race? Yeah, we're expecting rain at some point during the race, maybe around halfway. It worked out super well for us last year when it arrived, and hopefully the same thing happens again if the weather gets difficult. I think Nick told me he'd do a rain dance if I wanted, but I'm not sure that works! I'm sure others are doing that as well, we'll see you post race. We are on a roll now as we just pass Nick Forest talking to a sponsor... He seems quite deep in discussion, I jope the stars align for them. No? Ok. Ah I've spotted a new face on the grid for this race. The new team principal at Meteor. Shane, how does it feel to be the new team principal of Meteor, such a historic FV team? Great feeling, have been quite calm about it up until today but now, being here on the grid with everyone, it’s hitting me. Being here finally is just beyond my wildest dreams, and to be at the helm of one of the original teams is an honour. Personally it's so nice to see the Meteor name being retained. Meteor has new investors, are they putting any development into this season, try and move you ahead of some of the other teams that are less funded? The new owners are focused on the long term future of Meteor but in the short term it’s a case of doing what we can to beat the teams around us. Should be able to keep ahead of Lopez and get past DS Phoenix but Ingram will be hard. The deal to bring Lewis in for the rest of the year will help. I'm sure all of us want to see what is in store from you guys. See you later. We are nearly about to wrap things up. Got about a minute left predictably. Well hello. I can spot a familiar face in a purple outfit this race. Carson, there's not long left, can we just get a quick word? You've had a great weekend so far, bar the exclusion in qualifying. You're back in Lucas after 5 years, how special has this weekend been to you and has it brought back old memories? For sure, it is like coming home you know? I got my first chance with Lucas and my first win with the team in 2013 and a lot of the guys are still there. We are a bit disappointed with the qualifying but we just have to take the race as it comes and grab the points position or a higher position than AMR and Cheema when they come. Thanks Carson. So that was the grid walk for the US Grand Prix and time for the anthem. I'll see you after the race.
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