Rinus ‘VeeKay’ van Kalmthout returned to Juncos Hollinger Racing for the current IndyCar season, the team with which he made a name for himself in the junior categories. In the top class, the Hoofddorp native sees a lot of potential in the Indiana-based team. Ahead of the 110th edition of the Indy 500, he tells Formule1.nl about his role within the team and how he wants to contribute to future success.
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After a long period at Ed Carpenter Racing, Van Kalmthout made the switch to Dale Coyne Racing last year. That collaboration was limited to one season; for the current year he chose Juncos Hollinger, the team with which he previously became vice-champion in the predecessor of Indy NXT. “When I laid out my options last year, Juncos Hollinger was simply the best choice,” says ‘VeeKay’. “After all, it is a team with which I have already had success in the past. Over the years it has of course changed a lot, but the foundation is still very strong. Last year the team may not have had the strongest drivers, but I immediately had a good feeling.”
“I can really take on a leadership role here,” he explains. “I basically have the same freedom as at Dale Coyne, but much more say than, for example, at Ed Carpenter. Within this team there is a lot of room for development and I get the chance to really make a difference with my feedback.” According to ‘VeeKay’, something beautiful is being built for the long term, especially given the positive steps the team has recently taken. “We have come quite far with the team. We have learned a lot, but also uncovered some weak links that we need to work on.”
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Benchmark
The upcoming Indy 500 is, according to ‘VeeKay’, an important gauge for the current state of the team. “I always see this as the halfway point of the season,” he says. “It is really a turning point. Recently there have been small things that have held us back and kept us from better results. But I know what we need to work on. For example, we don’t have to worry about the pit stops; they are lightning fast. It’s mainly about the execution of a race weekend as a whole.”
“It is my job to give the best possible feedback,” he continues. “I have to be able to convey my findings so clearly that the team trusts me blindly – even more than the computer simulations.” That feedback has already paid off in the run-up to the Indy 500, notes ‘VeeKay’. “We have really come far. The car didn’t start out particularly strong, but we have gotten it into a very good working window. Simulations can say anything, but ultimately it’s about the driver having confidence in the car; it has to feel good under you,” he laughs. “We have now succeeded in building such a car.”
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