Courtesy of PaddockTalk.com

Pippa Mann completed her first test in an IndyCar yesterday, after she took to the Texas Motor Speedway with Conquest Racing. The test, originally scheduled for Monday, was postponed due to bad weather, with the team electing to remain in Texas in the hope that conditions improved overnight.

Tuesday saw clear blue skies above the speedway, and Mann was able to get her first feel for driving the Conquest Racing IndyCar.

The British female driver got up to speed quickly, wasting no time as she consistently began running laps, producing competitive times and steadily extracting more and more from the car. In the afternoon, a fuel pump issue interrupted running, however the team worked hard to get the problem resolved, and they were able to resume the test.

The Firestone Indy Lights race winner had the added task of passing her official rookie test at Texas, which she did without problem.

Speaking about the test, Mann said: “Today has been a very good day – it’s the first time I have driven an IndyCar, as well as my first run at Texas Motor Speedway, so before we got started I really didn’t know what to expect. I was able to get comfortable and up to speed very quickly, which meant we were able to get on with our testing plan. We ran some competitive lap times, both on new and used tyres, and although we lost some track time during the middle of the day with the fuel pump issue, the team’s hard work ensured we were able to get back out again.”

Mann added: “Overall I’m not only pleased, but excited by how the test went. I loved everything about driving an IndyCar, and I’m excited about the prospects for the coming season. We’re still working very hard to put together a full oval program for 2011, and I hope to be able to provide an update on that shortly.”

[News Source]

[Photo Source]