Memo Rojas ready to make a statement in the DeltaWing

Daytona Beach, Fla. – Memo Rojas has spent the last eight years of his career with Chip Ganassi Racing and as Scott Pruett's wingman. After 30 wins, four championships, and three Rolex 24 titles, Memo has been thrusted into a completely new environment. He will race with the DeltaWing squad in 2015 and he's ready for the challenge.

Out of his comfort zone

"Well it's certainly a big change," Rojas told Motorsport.com. "I am very grateful for the years I had at Ganassi and we had a lot of success together. I welcome this new challenge though. They called me right after I became available and the DeltaWing is a high profile team. To be called up for such a high development project is very important to me."

"It takes me out of my comfort zone and that's good because that only makes you better," Rojas added.

A common misconception

Rojas could also make a serious statement this weekend and in 2015. Considering most of his success has been with Ganassi, doubters believe he isn't truly as good as the stats suggest. Memo is ready to prove them wrong.

"Everybody thinks the Ganassi cars are always quickest, and of course they are good. But we won races because we had everything together between the team, drivers, and reliability. If you look at the last few years, we haven't been the fastest car out there ... Speed wasn't the reason why we won those championships."

I do think we have the performance, but the only question mark is the reliability. 

Rojas on if the DeltaWing can win the Rolex 24

Onto the DeltaWing, it was a massive change to leave DPs after so many years, but it's not like he jumped into a Ligier, Oreca, or any GT car though. His transition involved the one-of-a-kind DeltaWing project.

From DP to DeltaWing

"It drives very much like an open-wheel car," Rojas explained to Motorsport.com "Obviously, it has its uniqueness. For example, most of the weight is in the rear and you use mainly the rear brakes so the feeling is different but it's good, it gets the job done. It's just one of those things you need to get used to."

Along with a new team and completely new car, Rojas is having to work with new co-drivers in Katherine Legge (who we also spoke with), Gabby Chaves, and Andy Meyrick, but the Mexican racer assured this reporter that "the chemistry has been flawless."

My final question for Memo was simple. Can you win this race?

"I do think we have the performance, but the only question mark is the reliability. We're developing a new gearbox and unfortunately there was a mistake in the manufacturing of it (something out the team's control)."

The DeltaWing qualified fifth for the Rolex 24, within half a second of the pole-sitting Michael Shank Racing entry.

Click for Motorsport.com interview with Katherine Legge