Christian Lundgaard Previews Bommarito Automotive Group 500 & Re-Up With Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team drivers with their families and personal friends as they walk to their Honda-powered Dallara cars in pitlane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500. From L to R ... the recently confirmed in a multi-year contract with the team and Rookie Of The Year points leader Denmark born Christian Lundgaard, senior driver and competing in his 14th year Graham Rahal, and British born competing in his sixth year Jack Harvey. Image Credit: James Black via Penske Entertainment (2022)

Christian Lundgaard Previews Bommarito Automotive Group 500 & Re-Up With Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

We find ourselves in the sunset of a 17 Race NTT INDYCAR SERIES 2022 season with only 3 races left -  the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on the short oval at World Wide Technology Raceway, 5 Minutes from downtown St. Louis | the Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway | the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey. - having a chat with the rookie driver in his first full season, leading in the points for Rookie Of The Year, Denmark born and raised Christian Lundgaard.

Lundgaard’s performance in his first full NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has earned the 21-year-old Dane a new long-term agreement with the team, it was announced just before the INDYCAR sponsored ZOOM Call Tuesday August 17, 2022.

The restructuring of Lundgaard’s agreement comes as he takes a commanding 41-point lead in the Rookie of the Year standings into this weekend’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race airs live Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock Premium with coverage on the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Lundgaard earned an NTT INDYCAR SERIES career-best finish of second place at the Gallagher Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on July 30 and followed that up with his highest series start – third place – in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville on Aug. 6.

"I have to say a big thanks to (team co-owners) Bobby (Rahal), David (Letterman) and Mike (Lanigan) for giving me this opportunity to extend my time with the team," Lundgaard said. "We’ve had some good results lately, and I’m sure this has also helped their decision."

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS 

(H - Honda-Powered | C - Chevrolet-Powered)

Christian Lundgaard, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - H, 272 points

David Malukas, Dale Coyne Racing with HMD - H, 231 points

Callum Ilott, Juncos Hollinger Racing - C, 181 points

Devlin DeFrancesco, Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport - H, 159 points

Kyle Kirkwood, AJ Foyt Racing - C, 144 points

Tatiana Calderon, AJ Foyt Racing - C, 58 points

NTT INDYCAR SERIES News Conference - Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Press Conference - Christian Lundgaard - No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda Dallara

THE MODERATOR: We've reached the final oval of the season as the NTT INDYCAR Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway for Saturday night's Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline. Our coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. eastern on USA and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Our guest today has several reasons to be excited this week. His team is on a roll, career best finish of third on the IMS road course a couple of weeks ago, a career best starting position of second in Nashville -- no, the other way around, isn't it?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: My apologies. I owe you one here.

But all of that aside, Christian, just announced moments ago, receiving a new long term agreement with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He pilots the No. 30 Shield Cleansers Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda, Rookie of the Year candidate from Denmark, we welcome in Christian Lundgaard.

Christian, congratulations. Thanks for doing this.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No, thank you. It's my pleasure. In the beginning of the season, this was the aim to get to this point, to get it all settled. Now we're here.

I spoke to my dad yesterday, as I actually signed the papers yesterday. It was a big relief for me because it's been the pressure to get this done and to be sure the future is settled. For me, that is actually the first time that has ever happened, and that was the aim when we came over here to America to get this sorted, and now it's done.

We've got three races to go. Then in the off-season I can celebrate, not yet.

THE MODERATOR: All right. That will be a good celebration.

In the context of your career, a long term deal with any racing organization, let alone something in the NTT INDYCAR Series, what does that mean when it comes to the big picture, and how big is this for you?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I spoke to Marcus Ericsson about this specific question. INDYCAR is a lot about stability, and I don't think many people realize this. Now I know that I'll be with the same people, the same engineers, et cetera, the same team. And for me to know that and to be able to work close to them and be more a part of the team, I think is a big benefit.

Which is also why we see -- I wouldn't call it the old guys, but the experienced drivers. You know, they've been with the same team for a long time, and they're still competitive. They win races. We see Scott, we see Will kicking our butts. For a young driver to come in and be on that level is tough.

THE MODERATOR: Well, they haven't exactly been kicking your butt as of late. Let's kind of talk about the continuation of this run that your team is on. How do you explain the change in results in the last month and a half or so?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: It's a good question because I think in the beginning of the season we struggled a lot more than we thought we would. I think St. Pete was a special event. The first race of the season, I think everyone knew to get their feet on the ground and get going.

I don't think we started the weekend with the 30 crew that well. I think we were 25th in the first practice out of 27 cars or 26. But we made progress through the weekend, and we were looking at a P6 finish. We ended up P11, which it is what it is.

Then we went to Texas. Our qualifying wasn't great. As a team, we were struggling a lot in qualifying. And that whole continuation of the beginning of the season was just mentally tough for absolutely everybody in the team.

I spoke to several people before the 500. After the 500, all the energy that goes into the 500, people start to degrade in the second part of the season, and that's where we upped our game because the second half of the season so far, we've been strong. I think Road America was kind of the turning point when we started to perform better.

We've been on a roll. We got our first podium. We qualified third at Nashville, which just for the record, I absolutely wasn't expecting to happen. Now it's done, and I'm happy. We've shown that we've got the potential.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned Texas. Last thing before we open it up for questions. Back at an oval this weekend, testing there, obviously 1 1/4 mile around World Wide Technology Raceway. What have you learned in places like Texas and Indy and Iowa that you could use? Knowledge is key, right? When you go to places like this, what can you use from those experiences that's going to help you this coming weekend?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Most of it actually comes from Graham. I would say all my knowledge on ovals comes from Graham. Graham's got a tremendous amount of experience on ovals, and for me to come in as a rookie, I wouldn't say before I came over here, was being scared of ovals, but it is different. It's tough, and I think it's a big mental game.

Texas, I think the race performance was quite decent. We were moving up quite quickly. Iowa, I enjoyed a lot. I must say, I enjoyed the short ovals quite a bit. The tests, I don't think we were as competitive as we were in Iowa. Luckily that was just a test day. We've got to perform once the race gets there.

But Indy was a special one, I think, for me. I enjoyed it more than I probably should have. I should probably have expected more of -- I wouldn't say dedication and hard work, but the performance wasn't there. At that point, I wouldn't say we gave up, but it was more, from my own perspective, was getting the experience because there was no point of going out and doing something stupid.

THE MODERATOR: Just to reiterate, second on the IMS road course, qualifying third at Nashville. That's my error. I promise that's the last time I'll make that error, at least this week.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No worries.

Christian Lundgaard going around Turn 3, the fountain turn, at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Chris Owens via Penske Entertainment (2022)

Q. Christian, congrats on the new contract. You always hear about successful businesses, feels kind of like a family with their employees. You happen to drive for a family team. Do you feel like part of a Rahal extended family member?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Absolutely. Everyone in the team works well together. I like Bobby. I like Mike and David. I've actually spent more time with them than I thought I would than I did in the beginning of the season.

Mike called me yesterday just to congratulate me on the contract. What I like a lot about Mike is he tells you what he thinks. He doesn't filter it. I think that is a good thing to have. And as a team, I think we also need to move more in that direction and just get things done, have some more conclusions on things and get on with it.

Q. Obviously stateside we see INDYCAR and what it means to here, but to a 21-year-old Danish rookie, what about the series now makes you like, you know what, this is where I want to be for the future? What out of the first year have you liked so much that you see this as a career goal now?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I don't think there's been much I haven't really liked about INDYCAR so far. There's always going to be decisions you would have hoped you would have made different from several people, if it's the stewards or the race director, et cetera, changes to the tracks and stuff like this.

But I think overall, like I've said many times now when I moved over here and I've had the question what's the difference about Europe and America, for me it's about racing -- it's more about racing than it is about politics and et cetera. What I like about INDYCAR is the feeling I have here is the feeling I got when I fell in love with go-karts. You put the car on the ground, and you race, and you have fun. But you compete, and once the helmet's off, everyone is best buddies.

You don't see that in Europe. For me, the life is good for me in America. I prefer it here. Obviously I miss family and friends and et cetera, but I'm sure a time will come for them to visit me.

No, just everything about the sport over here is preferred for me.

Q. You mentioned you called your dad yesterday and talked about this. What was that phone call like? Is it emotional? Is it kind of like, yeah, you've been here this year, but like in stick and ball sports, everyone strives to get from that rookie contract to that second contract. Now you got it. Is that kind of that relief? Was it an emotional conversation? What was that discussion like yesterday?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Honestly it was quite calm. I think for me, obviously I don't think I've properly realized yet, but I think my dad has because he sits on the sidelines and just watches the big picture of what's going on.

But this has basically been the longtime goal to get it done and have a multiple year agreement because it settles everything down. You've got a work path, and I think that's just a benefit overall. But it's been work from 2007, when I started racing, and now we're here. It's happening. I wouldn't say we never expected it to happen, but it's always been questionable if it was possible.

I think -- again, just to follow up on the question before, I don't think necessarily my chances would have been as big in Europe as they would have been here. So that's obviously a good choice to come here then.

Q. Christian, congrats on the new deal. Just wanted to ask you real quick, when you look at the rookie competition that you're part of this year, some pretty impressive drivers. Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, and now yourself, you're leading the standings. How satisfying would it be to win the Rookie of the Year title?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: By the way, thank you. Honestly, for me I've said this before, I haven't looked too much into the rookie standings. I think now obviously there will be a bit more focus on it as we reach the end of the season. I just try to focus on each event as they come, and I've looked more at the overall standings, to be honest, than I've looked at the rookie championship. I'd rather want to win the whole championship.

We aren't in that position, so the rookie championship will for sure be our main goal for now. You only get one shot at it, so you've got to perform. That's what's tough about a rookie season is you've got one shot at it and you need to get everything right, but you've also got to learn as much as possible and mistakes will follow.

I think we've executed quite well in the beginning of the second part of the season, and I think that's why we are where we are in the rookie standings.

Q. How foreign does the oval racing feel to you?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I wouldn't say I'm uncomfortable on the track or in the car. I would say I'm for sure getting more comfortable. But I think it's all about confidence, experience, knowledge, which is also why I focused more on actually getting through the races than going for that one position, playing the long game.

Because you know in the hope of this contract for me now, I know that I'll have another shot again. Now the experience I've gained, I need to use and execute next year, which is also why I think next year ovals will be a lot stronger.

But I want to finish Gateway strong because it's the last oval of the season. We performed at Nashville. We performed at Indy, which means it's the road course, it's the street circuit. Now we've just got to have a good end to the season on the last oval. Then I can be very satisfied with my rookie season.

Q. Finally, Chris Blair the general manager at World Wide Technology Raceway, they said there's a tweak to the schedule. They're going to add an extra session of rubber in the track by having you guys run the high line similar to what you did in Texas. How much do you think that will help? Does it help more on the starts and restarts than it would during the race? Because the geometry of the track pretty much favors everybody taking the low line.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think it's a good idea. If I'm going to be honest, I think it would have helped slightly more at Iowa than it would here probably because I think, like you said, everyone will run the low line. It's going to be tough to run the high line, first of all, because of the marbles.

But I think just the way three and four kind of shapes, it's going to be tough to run in the high line and gain a position or make it work without losing time or, even worse, finishing the race there. I think turns one and two, it's possible to run in the high line, but it needs to be early in the race.

Q. I'm putting on my F1 feeder series cap as well. You and Callum are the latest F2 graduates to make a transition. You had a great debut last year, good rookie year now. You're really taking to INDYCAR like a duck to water. Why do you think the switch from F2 to INDYCAR has been so smooth for you? Is it the Dallara link, the fact that there's a similar driving style between the cars, or is it something else?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I would say the Dallara link is a big factor in it, but I think coming from Pirelli tires into Firestone tires was a big benefit for both Callum and I because I think we have the experience of proper saving tires and looking after tires because the Pirelli tires are tough. They're very difficult to understand, and from track to track, it's also different.

Here I feel the Firestones can take a lot more, so you can actually push the tires. But at the same time, we know how to be fast, but now we also know how to save the tires. I think for us as a racing driver it's -- we've shown ourselves to be able to do a good job, be fast, but now I think it's helped our race craft a lot more. But when you see it, I think we've also qualified quite well.

I think the cars don't drive dramatically different. I think the INDYCAR is able to hustle more. It's got a gentle slide to it. The biggest difference for me, I think would be from the tires, but the car handles pretty much the same. It's a little different, but it's not dramatically different.

Q. Now of course there's currently quite a few rumors about a few other F2 drivers following your example, coming from INDYCAR, Felipe Drugovich, Marcus Armstrong, exactly. They're being mostly named. You've raced against both Drugovich and Armstrong. Do you think they would fit well with INDYCAR, and have they been in touch with you to find out what this INDYCAR is about?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No, I actually haven't spoken to any of them. I spoke to Jack Doohan yesterday, not about this, but we just had a general talk about how things are over there and et cetera.

I think looking at Felipe, he's done an extremely good job this year, had a very, very good start to the season, which has put him in this position to be able to get points and still keep the lead in the championship. I was teammates with Marcus in 2020 in F2. I know he had a very tough year that year, but I know Marcus is a good driver. I know he can hustle a car as well.

I don't know that much about Felipe overall, but I think Marcus for sure would be able to be fast. The thing about INDYCAR is you need to be fast every single time, and that's tough. I think the transition into ovals is tough.

Q. Final thing. Your Alpine link is completely gone now, right?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: It is, yes.

** Query From Motorsports Journal's Edmund Jenks **

Q. Growing up in Denmark, Europe, you probably had some assumptions about America, and now that you've spent a full season here in many different cities and venues and so on, what given your assumptions of America and what your experiences have been, what have been the biggest changes in your mind?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think for me personally the biggest difference has been traveling to races because obviously I'm used to it from Europe, traveling from country to country, but now I'm still traveling, but I'm still in the same country. It's basically the same sort of distances but it's in the same country.

For me that seems strange. I get on a flight, and I land in the same country, just I don't know how many miles away. Just the cities around where I live, I wouldn't say they're far away, but they feel so far away because the same distance -- if I would travel the same distance in the city where I used to live in Denmark, I'd basically get across the country. So all these kinds of things is very different. I wouldn't say difficult for me to get used to, but it's just like a mental thing that's different.

I like the life in America. I've been driving to many of the races, get to see the country, and just drive through states and see the differences. When you cross the border into a new state, you start to see some differences, and you don't see that in the same country in Denmark or in Europe.

I'm happy here for sure.

Q. By the way, congratulations on re-ups with RLL. You've got three more races left this season. Which one are you probably looking forward to the most as it relates to your type of driving style and the venues that you've learned about?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: For me it's going to be difficult to pinpoint one, I think. All three races will be a key factor. I wouldn't say I'm looking more forward for one than the other.

I'd say I look forward for Portland because I know the car the team had there last year was a bit of a development from the car I qualified and raced at Indy last year. So I'm familiar with that car, and I know it performed well. Graham had a very, very good run last year. So I know we'll be competitive when we get there.

Like I said before, I want to finish my last oval of the season well. We've performed at Nashville. We performed at Indy. Now it's time to perform even better at an oval. We made steps through the season. We weren't competitive in Texas. Wouldn't say so in Indy. But then we got to Iowa, and we started building up.

It was also in the second half of the season where we've been strong. So to finish it off well, that would satisfy me well with my rookie season, being able to say that, okay, it's three types of courses, but we performed well at each one of them. I think that would give a big confidence boost for everyone for next year.

Q. How does it feel to be one point behind Roman Grosjean?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I noticed that, but what feels worse, I think, is being 11 points behind Graham.

THE MODERATOR: Great answer.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I want to finish ahead of Graham. That's my ultimate goal.

THE MODERATOR: I was going to say, if you had a goal for the rest of the season, that's it?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: That and having a good end on an oval. And obviously winning a race. It's not too far away. We were close.

Actually we were the best finishing legal car of Indy. We scored the most points.

THE MODERATOR: That's right. You got the most points out of that weekend. I'll give you that, 100 percent.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Exactly.

ENDS

Q. On ovals, you had mentioned in Nashville that, when you first came to street circuits, that you were not as comfortable, but now that you performed well at Nashville, you've come to like them. Do you feel that you have a somewhat similar experience on ovals? Second question would be the team has made a lot of gains in the last half of the year. What else do you -- what other gains do you guys think -- let me start over. Where do you think you guys need to improve to get to that next level?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: First question, so obviously I would say, looking at Nashville, we performed very well. We knew that we made some gains in Toronto. We knew that all three cars were more competitive than we were in Detroit. I think for me part of the reason why I probably haven't been a fan of street circuits is I've done Macao, I've done Monaco, I've done Baku, but they're all smooth tracks. Macao is probably the bumpiest of all of them.

But coming over here, you don't resurface the track before coming out. You just put the car on the ground and you race. That's one of the features I like about INDYCAR. I think the European drivers that I have spoken to don't realize that. They think we're crazy that we go out there, oh, yeah, you're going to hit the wall because the car is going to jump all over the place, but it's challenging. I think that's where the damper programs comes into play but also the driver.

I think, looking at the progress we made in Toronto and then we came into Nashville, I wouldn't say we performed much better at Nashville than we did at Toronto, but I think it was a lot of this momentum of leaving Indy and being there. We just knew we just had to execute. We did on qualifying day, not so much on race day for different reasons, but the roll is there.

Yeah, then I forgot your second question actually.

Q. Second question is you guys have -- with you guys making a lot of gains, what else do you think you guys need to get to the next level?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think it's very simple. I don't think there is much more -- well, there's always things we can do to improve. I always think the car can be better, I can do a better job. But as a team, it's all about being there consistently, and I think that's what we've struggled with is being consistent and understanding why things work and why they don't.

Obviously if everyone knew how to be fast, everyone would be fast. So for us, it's about getting that knowledge and understand everything a little better. It could be a part of me being a rookie coming in and needing to understand the difference coming from an oval into a road course into a street circuit and then back to an oval, adapting to all these things.

As a team, I think since Indy we've taken things more simple. Just thought more logic. What does the car need? Keep it simple. No need to turn the car upside down, just bits and pieces, just fine tune. I think that's helped us quite a bit in the second half of the season. Obviously, also, the car needs to be competitive as soon as you load the truck.

After qualifying P3, Christian Lundgaard, pictured here on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, held on and avoided the roughly $800,000 in estimated race car damage to finish P8 at Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. The level of contact between drivers led Pato O'Ward to call Nashville the "Crashville" Grand Prix, Image Credit: Chris Owens via Penske Entertainment (2022)

Q. Congratulations on the new deal. I have two questions. First of all, what lessons did you learn after losing that point in Nashville in the last race? You had so many years being a member of the Renault Alpine Academy. What's your take about the whole (indiscernible) situation?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: About Nashville, I think it was a lot of different things. We had burned our push-to-pass quite early in the race, fighting Colton and Palou. I think in the beginning of the second stint I had a big flat spot on my right tire that restart, which was the primary, and we knew we had to go a long way on those tires. So we basically had to use some push-to-pass to sort of -- I forgot that word. To stabilize it.

After that, with the red flag, I think if we wouldn't have had the red flag, we would have finished second. But the last pit stop I made a mistake. So I basically got jumped by Scott. In Indy these are the things we need to learn. Coming into the next season -- and I know the team knows this because I spoke to my engineers and the over board yesterday, as late as yesterday. We were making changes and improving these kinds of things.

Honestly about the whole F1 stunt, I'll call it, I mean, we see it here with Palou. Obviously, outside obviously I'm happy to not be in the position because I don't think anyone wants to be in the position. It's unfortunate for absolutely everybody. But I don't have any intel or any information on what's going on from over there. I haven't even been contacted by anyone within the team.

I'm not going to say I'm disappointed because I like being here. I prefer being in INDYCAR, so I'm not too sad about it.

THE MODERATOR: Can I just say, though, as you're doing this and I'm listening to you throughout the course of this last 35 minutes, compared to maybe at the beginning of the season when you and I did some other things, you just seem way more comfortable now. Is that an accurate statement?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: No, I am. I think I've been extremely lucky, where I actually ended up placing myself in this apartment because Indy Lights driver Christian Rasmussen lives just down the hallway, the same building, and his neighbor, pretty much his neighbor, is Marcus Ericsson. He's Swede, and we're Danish. My girlfriend is Danish. Marcus' girlfriend is Danish. So we all hang out.

That has helped me a lot because coming over here, there's nothing worse than just sitting on your butt not doing anything. So I think that's just helped my personal life, being comfortable, and I think everyone can relate to this. If your personal life doesn't work, your work life doesn't work. So I've just been incredibly fortunate to have this.

THE MODERATOR: That's great to hear actually. You can tell, I think even in the performance like you mentioned.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Nothing has changed personally since, but yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Let's take a few more in English.

Q. I'm talking about this past Sunday marks one year since your debut in the car in Indianapolis. In what aspects do you think you improved during this 365 days? And in what aspects do you think you have to improve considering you have this deal with Rahal about that? And what do you think about it?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Obviously after the race last year, that was roughly in the middle of the season in my F2 season. We weren't really performing very well there. It was actually a very tough time, and I remember when I came over here and I qualified fourth, I basically told everyone, my family and my investors, sponsors, managers, et cetera, I've still got it. Don't worry. I've still got it.

I think that personally was a big confidence boost doing the race, knowing that I still had it, because the season wasn't going very well there. I can't even remember what we finished, but it was a tough year for sure.

Which is also why I wanted to come over here because I know that we performed very well at that event even with food poisoning on Sunday. It was tough, a tough time. I think even in the beginning of the season this year was tough. But all the hard work and dedication pays off now. We've seen it with our podium and our third in qualifying in Nashville.

So we've got to keep digging. We will keep digging. There will always be things you can improve. I think there is many things -- it's simple things that just needs to be done, just not making mistakes in the pit stop. Just being consistent. I rather want to be the guy who does it right every time than being the guy that does it absolutely perfect one out of six.

All of these things, just being consistent and reliable.

Q. One of your bosses for Rahal commented recently that Sebastian Vettel, that if he has an opportunity to test with an INDYCAR, then the team will give this opportunity to Sebastian. Would you like to see Sebastian in INDYCAR? How positive do you think that this move, this incorporation to INDYCAR and specifically for your team gives for the competition?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think it would be cool for Sebastian to drive an INDYCAR honestly because it's -- I've driven Formula One cars. I've tested quite a few days with Renault. So for me, I'm going to say it as it is. For me, that was personally the easiest car I've ever driven. It's easy to drive to a certain extent.

And the reason why we see Formula One being, I would say, split up in the front of the field and then the midfield is extremely close, is that the car is very easy to drive to a certain limit. Then finding that half a second to a second is what's tough. Because the car's got so much downforce that it's going to stick, right?

So I think for Sebastian to come over here and try a car that you need to hustle, you need to work the car, and you aren't really driving -- the car isn't driving you. You are driving the car. I think that's going to be a tough transition. But I think honestly there's going to be a lot of F1 drivers that I wish would try an INDYCAR.

Q. Christian, first congratulations on the contract expansion. I think it's a great thing for you and the team. I know you live local to the shop and want to spend time there. I think that's a very positive approach to success for everybody around. I'd like to echo Dave's comments on your growth with the interviews. I've always found you to be a mature, intelligent, and articulate person to these interviews.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Thank you.

Q. A little more comfortable now.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: For sure, of course.

Q. Having spent a lot of time in Europe in the different series and having started in car, now that you're in INDYCAR, what do you think could be adopted by INDYCAR from any of those series that would make the INDYCAR racing better?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: That's actually a very, very good question because I think on the way through a season you pinpoint things that could be different. Thinking about it now, they all blur, like I can't really pinpoint one or more.

What can I use as an example? I don't know right now.

Q. Fair enough. Just wondering if there's anything procedural.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Honestly, it's a very, very good question because I think looking at it, I'd prefer here's -- obviously then I wouldn't really want to take anything from there. But I think there's things that's good.

I love the warmups we have here. I think Europe should do that. We do practice qualifying, practice, practice qualifying warmup on Sunday morning, and then we race on Sunday. I think it's just great because it isolates the qualifying performance and the race performance more because you focus on making the car as absolute fast as you can, and then you wake up Sunday morning and it's race time and you focus on the race, where you can build and prepare your race car Sunday morning. I think that's great. That's something I really like.

The other way around, I can't think of anything right now.

Q. Christian, two questions here. With your success the last couple races, how much confidence do you have going into Gateway, especially after testing there last week?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think for us Gateway wasn't -- we weren't that competitive as we would hope to have been, I think either in qualifying trim or race trim. But I think for us, having done the test, the test was very good for us in identifying things we need to work on. So I would say at the moment I'm not the most confident, but I know that the team is going to work extremely hard, we're all going to work extremely hard to be sure that we improve our package. I'm not at all worried that, once race day comes, we'll be more competitive than we are now.

Q. Your first INDYCAR race ever was last season at Indy, and you now qualified fourth. What is something you know now that you wish you knew then?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I think last year I actually thought there was a fast six. I think many people know this by now, there's only a Fast 12. The Fast 12 result was the qualifying. I made a few mistakes. I remember it very quickly, turn four, going back to the back straight before the flat actually came, I made a pretty big mistake there. So I knew there was going to be more time in, and I can't remember if it was four-hundredths or so we were behind for pole. So we had a good shot at it.

Food poisoning for the race certainly didn't help. Pretty much the whole team had food poisoning on Sunday. I remember we all just looked at each other Sunday morning, how did you sleep? Terrible. Oh, yeah, me too, and everyone. That experience helped me a lot coming into every race this season, also being more cautious about what I eat for sure.

No, I've got more experience. It's difficult to pinpoint because I didn't have any experience on tires. Sunday morning in warmup -- again, the warmup is great for especially this. That was the first time I ran the car in full fuel and race trim and long stints, but it's only half an hour so we couldn't do much. I wish I would have learned more then to be more and better prepared for the race.

THE MODERATOR: I know you're self-conscious about your English, but you really do speak it well.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Me?

THE MODERATOR: Yeah, you. You talk about Danish users native tongue.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: I live in America. I lived in the UK last year.

THE MODERATOR: I know, but you're quick to say, oh, Danish, I can speak that.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Which is actually very true. I sat in the driver room in the truck with Jack, and I can't remember if Graham was there. But I sat there with my girlfriend, and we were speaking Danish. Then he asked me a question, and he was just like, how did you just go from one language to another? Obviously he only knows English. He was like how do you do that? Talent. It's something I'm born with, I don't know.

If you know more languages, I think it's just more common and natural to be able to swap. But it is good. I know two languages. You probably only know one.

THE MODERATOR: And I'm still struggling with the one, I'll be honest with you.

Congratulations on the new deal. Safe travels to World Wide Technology Raceway, and we'll see you in a couple days.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: He's the driver of the No. 30 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and the Shield Cleansers Honda. It is Christian Lundgaard. If you're not going to join us in person, coverage of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline begins at 6:00 p.m. eastern. See it live on USA, Peacock Premium, and you can listen to the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Thanks everybody. Have a great rest of the afternoon.

[ht: FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports]

Many followers of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES have noted this is the closest top-six battle this late in the season in the history of the series’ current 20-plus-year points structure. The next three races will settle just who has the luck, patience, courage, team coordination, and critical set-ups to take home the Astor Cup between Will Power, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, and Scott McLaughlin come September. Pretty much an all House Of Penske or Chip Ganassi Racing show.

Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)

Friday: NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, 1-2 p.m.; Indy Lights practice, 3:10-4 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying, 4:15-5:15 p.m.; Indy Lights qualifying, 6:15-6:45 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, 6-6:30 p.m. and 6:45-7:45 p.m.

Saturday: Indy Lights race, 4:15 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES' Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline, 6 p.m. (USA Network and the INDYCAR Radio Network).

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: World Wide Technology Raceway, NTT INDYCAR, Christian Lundgaard. Graham Rahal, RLL, Honda, Shield Cleansers, Peacock, Bommarito Automotive Group 500, Axalta, Valvoline, House Of Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, The EDJE