Conquest Racing

Last updated

Flag of the United States.svg Conquest Racing
ConquestRacingLogo.jpg
Founded1997
Founder(s) Éric Bachelart (owner)
Base Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Team principal(s)
Current series IMSA SportsCar Championship
Ferrari Challenge North America
Former series IndyCar Series
Atlantic Championship
Champ Car World Series
Current driversIMSA SportsCar Championship:
34.
Flag of Spain.svg Albert Costa
Flag of the United States.svg Manny Franco
Flag of Monaco.svg Cédric Sbirrazzuoli
Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Balzan
35.
Flag of Brazil.svg Daniel Serra
Flag of Spain.svg Albert Costa
Flag of Italy.svg Giacomo Altoè
Website https://conquestracing.com/

Conquest Racing is an auto racing team based in Indianapolis, United States that currently competes in the Ferrari Challenge North America as well as the GTD Pro and GTD classes of the IMSA SportsCar Championship. [1] [2] [3] They previously competed in the IndyCar Series, the Atlantic Championship, the Champ Car World Series, and the GT World Challenge America. [4]

Contents

History

Conquest's Enrique Bernoldi practices for the 2008 Indianapolis 500. BernoldiIndy2008.jpg
Conquest's Enrique Bernoldi practices for the 2008 Indianapolis 500.

It is owned by former series competitor Éric Bachelart. The team ran in Indy Lights competition in the late 1990s with Felipe Giaffone, who brought sponsorship from Hollywood cigarettes and Mi-Jack sponsored brothers Chris and Jamie Menninga. The team jumped to the Indy Racing League in 2002 with Laurent Rédon; the Frenchman won rookie of the year honors but was not retained when the team jumped ship to Champ Car in 2003, as he wanted to come back to France for his family.

The team ran Mario Haberfeld in an unloved Reynard chassis and shared information and resources with Emerson Fittipaldi's team, that ran future Formula One driver Tiago Monteiro. In 2004 the team expanded to two cars, fielding Justin Wilson in a Lola with several others in a Reynard. Wilson signed with RuSPORT for 2005 and Conquest ran teenagers Nelson Philippe and Andrew Ranger, each 18 years old when the season started.

While Philippe left for 2006, the team retained Ranger dependent on his Canadian sponsorship and signed 2005 Champ Car Atlantic champion Charles Zwolsman to the second car. There were rumors Darren Manning would replace Ranger early in the season but this was put to rest with his on-track performances and more money coming into the team. Internet betting web site Goldenpalace.com signed on as Zwolsman's sponsor at the second race in Houston.

The team branched into the Atlantic ranks in 2006 with drivers Graham Rahal and Al Unser III.

After the 2006 season, Mike Lanigan pulled his company's support from the race team due to a lack of funding[ citation needed ]. In a Speedtv.com article, Bachelart was about to shut down his team when his sponsor called with a deal for the 2007 season. [5] But on February 6, 2007 a New York-based company, later confirmed to be vodka company 42 Below, gave them sponsorship with former A1 Grand Prix driver Matt Halliday. However, after poor performances in Vegas, Long Beach, and Houston, Halliday was released in favor of Jan Heylen. Jan Heylen drove the next 9 races for Conquest Racing and his best finish was a 2nd place at the Bavaria Grand Prix of Holland. On October 3 it was announced that Jan Heylen would be replaced for the rest of the season by the returning Nelson Philippe.

In late December 2007 the team announced the signing of new marketing partner, Opes Prime Group Ltd, an Australian-based financial services provider. Following the unification of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League, Conquest was the first Champ Car team to confirm their participation in the IRL IndyCar Series, with driver Franck Perera named to drive one of the team's two cars. [6] The other driver entry has been confirmed as Enrique Bernoldi will be driving for Conquest Racing during the 2008 IRL Championship.

However, on the eve of the opening race of the 2008 IndyCar Season, on 28 March 2008, Opes Prime was placed in receivership, and left the team shortly after. Sangari stepped up to sponsor both cars after Ares also left the team. [7] After the Long Beach Grand Prix, Perera was replaced in the #34 car by Jaime Camara to complete a fully Brazilian lineup. Alex Tagliani replaced Bernoldi in the last three races of the season due to an injury.

Tagliani ran for the team part-time in 2009, including the Toronto Grand Prix that saw Tagliani lead a majority of the race before being eliminated in a late race crash. Conquest Racing entered a second car for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 with Bruno Junqueira the driver of the number 36. Junqueira qualified for the 500, while Tagliani did not, which resulted in Tagliani taking over the 36 car for the 500.

Nelson Philippe returned to the team late in 2009 after Tagliani and Conquest parted ways. The season was cut short for Phillipe and Conquest after a horrifying accident with Will Power at Infineon Raceway.

Mario Romancini was announced as the driver of the Conquest Racing number 34 for the entire IndyCar Series 2010 schedule. Bertrand Baguette began running for the team in a second car at Barber, bringing Belgian sponsorship. The team placed both cars in the Indianapolis 500 where Romancini finished 13th and Baguette ended up in 22nd after losing a mirror early in the race. Conquest Racing planned to continue running both drivers for the remainder of the season but replaced Romancini with Francesco Dracone at Mid-Ohio and Infineon due to Romancini's lack of sponsorship.

For 2011, the team ran only one car, the 34, with Colombian driver Sebastián Saavedra.

In 2012, the team decided to leave the IndyCar series and enter the American Le Mans Series with a Morgan-Nissan LMP2 prototype. The team took its first victory at the 2012 Grand Prix of Mosport.

No more actively involved in motorsport since 2013 season, Conquest Racing comes back in IMSA Prototype Challenge for the 2019 season in LMP3 category. [8]

Racing record

YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesFast lapsPointsD.C.
Indy Racing League Results
2002 Dallara-Infiniti Flag of France.svg Laurent Redon 1500022912th
CART/Champ Car World Series Results
2003 Reynard-Cosworth Flag of Brazil.svg Mario Haberfeld 180017112th
2004 Lola/Reynard-Cosworth Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Justin Wilson 1400018811th
Flag of Brazil.svg Alex Sperafico 80004719th
Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 60008916th
2005 Lola-Cosworth Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Andrew Ranger 1300014010th
Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 1300011713th
2006 Lola-Cosworth Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Andrew Ranger 1400020010th
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Charles Zwolsman Jr. 1400016113th
2007 Panoz-Cosworth Flag of New Zealand.svg Matt Halliday 30001821st
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jan Heylen 900010416th
Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 20002819th
IndyCar Series Results
2008 Dallara-Honda
Panoz-Cosworth 2
Flag of France.svg Franck Perera 310007129th
Flag of Brazil.svg Enrique Bernoldi 1500022022nd
Dallara-Honda Flag of Brazil.svg Jaime Camara 1500017423rd
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alex Tagliani 30005632nd
2009 Dallara-Honda Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alex Tagliani 700011422nd
Flag of Brazil.svg Bruno Junqueira 00000NA
Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 010001635th
Flag of Japan.svg Kosuke Matsuura 10001336th
2010 Dallara-Honda Flag of Brazil.svg Mario Romancini 1100014924th
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Bertrand Baguette 1500021322nd
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Dracone 20002437th
Flag of South Africa.svg Tomas Scheckter 210008929th
Flag of the United States.svg Roger Yasukawa 10001240th
Flag of Colombia.svg Sebastián Saavedra 110002933rd
2011 Dallara-Honda Flag of Colombia.svg Sebastián Saavedra 1400017825th
Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira 10001044th
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dillon Battistini 10001046th
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Pippa Mann 110003238th

1Driver competed for Conquest in addition to another team that season.
2Only used for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Complete IRL IndyCar Series results

(key)

YearChassisEngineDriversNo.12345678910111213141516171819
2002 HMSPHXFONNAZ INDY TXSPPIRRIRKANNSHMCHKTYGATCHITXS
Dallara IR-02 Infiniti VRH35ADE V8 Flag of France.svg Laurent Redon 341514315221571522161120222510
2008 HMS STP MOT LBH 1 KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO EDM KTY SNM DET CHI SRF 2
Panoz DP01 Cosworth XFE V8 t Flag of France.svg Franck Perera 346
Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 1420
Flag of Brazil.svg Jaime Camara 213124242014182114231624251819
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alex Tagliani 3622124
Flag of Brazil.svg Enrique Bernoldi 185251516231726212026162221
Panoz DP01 Cosworth XFE V8 t 4
2009 STP LBH KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL TOR EDM KTY MDO SNM CHI MOT HMS
Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 34DNS
Flag of Japan.svg Kosuke Matsuura 17
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alex Tagliani 1010DNQ14913
3611
Flag of Brazil.svg Bruno Junqueira Wth
2010 SAO STP ALA LBH KAN INDY TXS IOW WGL TOR EDM MDO SNM CHI KTY MOT HMS
Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Flag of Brazil.svg Mario Romancini 341713222322131716222224
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Dracone 22
3620
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Bertrand Baguette 342312102515
3620242022221718161411
Flag of South Africa.svg Tomas Scheckter 2814
Flag of the United States.svg Roger Yasukawa 20
Flag of Colombia.svg Sebastián Saavedra 16
2011 STP ALA LBH SAO INDY TXS MIL IOW TOR EDM MDO NHA SNM BAL MOT KTY LSV
Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 Flag of Colombia.svg Sebastián Saavedra 3413261411DNQ28292320251627151413C 3
Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira 26
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dillon Battistini 28
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Pippa Mann 3620
  1. ^ Run to Champ Car specifications.
  2. ^ Non-points-paying, exhibition race.
  3. ^ The final race at Las Vegas was canceled due to Dan Wheldon's death.

Complete CART / Champ Car World Series results

(key)

YearChassisEngineDriversNo.123456789101112131415161718
2003 STP MTY LBH BRH LAU MIL LAG POR CLE TOR VAN ROA MDO MTL DEN MIA MXC SFR
Reynard 02i Ford XFE V8 t Flag of Brazil.svg Mario Haberfeld 34416991475815197810111051214
2004 LBH MTY MIL POR CLE TOR VAN ROA DEN MTL LAG LSV SFR MXC
Reynard 02i Ford XFE V8 t Flag of Brazil.svg Alex Sperafico 141716151613101717
Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 13
Lola B02/00171691016
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Justin Wilson 34665181214771418884
Reynard 02i11
2005 LBH MTY MIL POR CLE TOR EDM SJO DEN MTL LSV SRF MXC
Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8 t Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Andrew Ranger 271721678111816101114109
Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 341812*1212131091591516147
2006 LBH HOU MTY MIL POR CLE TOR EDM SJO DEN MTL ROA SRF MXC
Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8 t Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Andrew Ranger 276677911107131415858
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Charles Zwolsman Jr. 341215129121591091087711
2007 LSV LBH HOU POR CLE MTT TOR EDM SJO ROA ZOL ASN SFR MXC
Panoz DP01 Cosworth XFE V8 t Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jan Heylen 34151416131096132
Flag of France.svg Nelson Philippe 612
Flag of New Zealand.svg Matt Halliday 42161514

References

  1. Gilain, Eliane (May 17, 2024). "Conquest Racing Returns to Laguna Seca for Second Round of Ferrari Challenge". Conquest Racing. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  2. "21 Cars For IMSA Detroit Sports Car Classic". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  3. Dagys, John (September 7, 2023). "Conquest Set for IMSA Return in Ferrari GTD Entry for Franco – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  4. "Conquest Racing GT3 Debut In Sebring, Preparations Underway For Full-Time 2023 Effort". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  5. New Sponsor for Conquest Racing? Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine , PaddockTalk.com, February 6, 2007
  6. Lewandowski, Dave. Conquest Racing the first to make move; Perera named Archived 2008-02-26 at the Wayback Machine , IndyCar.com, February 25, 2008
  7. Lyndal McFarland and Andrew Harrison. 'Irregularities' At Opes Prime Trigger Probe, Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2008
  8. Marie-Lyse Tremblay (January 2, 2019). "L'équipe Conquest Racing inscrite en IMSA LMP3 pour la saison 2019, avec le Canadien Aaron Povoledo". poleposition.ca (in French). Retrieved June 18, 2019.