Will Power optimistic for 2015, team mate Pagenaud

In 2015, the Verizon IndyCar Series will visit NOLA Motorsports Park for the Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana on April 10-12. Tickets went on sale Monday in a ribbon-cutting ceremony and Will Power took the time to speak with Motorsport.com about his off-season, 2015 and having a familiar face as a teammate for next season.

After a 2014 season that had many ups and downs, Power finally secured his first series championship after three years of coming in second in points.  He made it back home in Australia and was quite happy with his visit down under.

“It was very cool going home to my home town [Toowoomba], I was very well received as a champion. I didn’t think it’d be that different but it actually was, people were really happy that I’d won.  I think that they’d watched for a few years when I’d finish second and I think everyone was just glad that I finally got it done,” Power said.

Familiar faces

His off season started with a big announcement that his former teammate at Team Australia in Champ Car, Simon Pagenaud, will be joining him, Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya at Team Penske.

“I think with the new bodykits it’ll be good to have more information, for sure. Simon’s very experienced, I think he’s a very good development driver. I think he’ll have some good ideas and his engineer came along as well, so I’m looking forward to working with him,” Power said.

He highlighted some differences between 2015 and 2007, when both were teammates in Champ Car.

“Just the fact that we both have had a lot more experience, both of us were pretty much rookies back then, I think it’ll be a good combination and I think the whole team will be very strong next year with the teammates.”

“That’s how it is on the track and you know, I don’t think any of that [will matter], it’s a new year, everything’s new, we’re teammates, there’s no problem there, we’ve been friends for a long time, I think it’ll be a good relationship,” Power said.

Kicking off ticket sales

Power was at NOLA Motorsports Park to open ticket sales for the race next year and spoke highly of the facility in Avondale, LA.

“I think the racing will be good, I think that the facility and the fact that you can see the whole track from any point, I think that’s a big deal because there’s not many road courses around like that, so I think it’ll be great for the fans.” 

Power was chauffeured around the track by track owner Laney Chouest after doing some two-seater rides and had a new perspective on the track.

“They’ve got a few more things to add and so on but they’ve got plenty of time.  I can’t wait to test here actually to get a real good feel for the track,” Power said.

The major change done to the track was the straightening out of the esses on the back side of the course after a fast right-left chicane.

“It’s going to be a really fast chicane there.  It’ll be real interesting to see if we’re wide open around there,” Power said.