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Urrutia becomes SPM development driver in Belardi tie-up

Indy Lights runner-up Santiago Urrutia will be reunited with his former team Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, which has started a driver development program with Belardi Auto Racing.

Santiago Urrutia, Belardi Auto Racing

Santiago Urrutia, Belardi Auto Racing

Art Fleischmann

Having taken Indy Lights titles with seven drivers in the past, SPM left the series at the end of 2016, with Urrutia missing out on the crown by two points last year with the Indianapolis-based team.

However, SPM announced on Thursday that it is now involved in Indy Lights again in the form of a collaboration with Urrutia's current team Belardi.

As a result, the Uruguayan driver will share SPM IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe’s Arrow Electronics sponsorship from this weekend's second Indy Lights round at Barber onwards.

"This new program with Belardi Auto Racing is all about assisting young talented drivers any way we can to get them to the Verizon IndyCar Series,” said SPM co-owner Sam Schmidt.

"Brian Belardi has a great history of doing everything possible with talented drivers, like Gabby Chaves and Zach Veach, so we think this is a great fit."

Brian Belardi added: “I'm very excited for this combined effort.

"I'm looking forward to the partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and having the Arrow Electronics name on our No. 5 car.

"I believe this new collaboration is a great step forward for the Mazda Road to Indy ladder program.

"I’m very proud with the fact that our former drivers like Gabby Chaves and Zach Veach will be in this year’s Indianapolis 500, and I know that this new driver development program will help graduate more of the Belardi family into the Verizon IndyCar Series."

Urrutia sits sixth in the Indy Lights standings after the season opener at St. Petersburg.

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