Tagliani joins forces with Bryan Herta’s Lotus powered team

Herta and Tagliani aim for the 2012 championship

Veteran open-wheel driver Alex Tagliani was signed today by Bryan Herta Autosport as driver of the team's full-time entry in the 2012 IndyCar Series.

Tags, as he is known by fans worldwide, will take a resume replete with an Indianapolis 500 pole-winning performance in 2011 to BHA when competition commences in St Petersburg, Florida on March 25th. He will also participate in engine development with BHA partner Lotus, including an upcoming test session in early February.

Bryan Herta

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

"I’m really happy to drive for BHA," said Tagliani. "Bryan is known for his integrity. He and (co-owner) Steve Newey deserve a great IndyCar team, and I’m honored to be part of the program. It’s also an honor for me to represent Lotus with its great history in the world of motorsports."

Tagliani held pole at Indy and Texas Motor Speedway in 2011, and recorded six top-five finishes on the year. Racing since he was 10 years old, the thirty-eight year old native of Lachenaie, Quebec has competed in 41 IndyCar Series events since 2008.

Team owner Bryan Herta announced that Todd Malloy will become Tagliani's engineer and have responsibility for putting the new Dallara chassis on the track for the reigning Indianapolis 500 championship team. He also revealed that the car will be in the famous Lotus colors of Black and Gold.

“Together with Todd Malloy and Brian Page in engineering, and the Don Lambert led crew, Alex has the full support of a very talented group of professionals behind him,” said Herta.