IMSA - Vesti and Team Take Victory at Indianapolis

After a three-month break, the IMSA season roared back to life – and Frederik Vesti’s trips across the Atlantic have been anything but idle. Success lies in preparation, and preparation is all about the details. Last weekend’s race at Indianapolis was a perfect example.

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The 6-hour race at Indianapolis was an absolutely fantastic experience! We actually got the weekend started a week early, meeting up in New York on Monday for a karting event arranged by our main sponsor, Whelen. Other Whelen drivers were there as well, including drivers from NASCAR. It was impressive to see the impact and importance our sponsor has across so many series and drivers in the U.S. That’s really making a difference and leaving a mark. A super fun way to kick off the week.

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The days leading into the race followed the usual routine: two days in the simulator to fine-tune preparations, where Vesti and his two outstanding teammates laid the groundwork for success.

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We were so motivated when we arrived at the track on Friday and couldn’t wait to get going. But it wasn’t easy in practice – the car was okay, but not great. It took real work and solid team communication to get the setup where we wanted it.

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The effort paid off. Jack Aitken secured pole position, setting the tone for the weekend.

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Jack drove a really strong opening stint. I got in afterwards for two and a half hours, leading every lap. I was able to put in some really fast times and build a ten-second gap to our nearest competitor. My job was to hold the lead and, if possible, save fuel at the same time. I managed both, while opening the gap to P2. That gave us an advantage for later in the race – because in IMSA, it’s all about thinking ahead and preparing for the safety cars you know will come. If I may give myself a pat on the back, I think I managed the stint and the race development pretty much perfectly 😉😉 It gave the team confidence later in the race, because we had the fuel and the strategy advantage.

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In the end, it came down to the wire.

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We won the race – by less than a second! It was all about fuel saving to make it to the finish. It became a lot more challenging than we expected in the closing laps, as we only had a few liters left. But my teammate Earl Bamber handled it brilliantly. That makes the victory even more valuable and exciting, because we really had to fight for it!

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With victory at Indianapolis secured, focus now shifts to one of the biggest challenges of the year.

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Now we’re more than ready for Petit Le Mans – one of the most legendary races in the world, and of course one I dream of adding to my list of wins. We’re going full throttle.

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Preparations are already underway. Just 36 hours after the Indianapolis triumph, Vesti was back in the simulator at 8 a.m. Monday, gearing up for the demanding 10-hour race at Road Atlanta in Georgia on October 11.