Chapter 5

At 2:20pm today, under a largely cloudless sky, Jean Alesi brought his 44 hour absence from the racing surface of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to an end, when he dropped his Lotus-powered #64 FP Journe Watches DW12 into gear, eased out of his pit box,  and accelerated on to the track.  A consistent wind was blowing north to south and slightly west, and the track temperature was in excess of 120 degrees. 

The area behind the wall of Lotus Fan Force United pit area was filled with interested onlookers, as the story of the F1 legend-turned-Indianapolis-newcomer continues to generate interest.  The stories do indeed abound (the Fan Force United component being quite interesting), with interest about Jean’s aspirations and plight being expressed here and from abroad. 

As the car had been in pieces yesterday, Jean’s first time on to the racetrack was for an install lap.  He quickly returned to the pit, where the car was inspected for any leaks or obvious problems.  Noting a lack of issues, errors, or omissions in the work of the Lotus Fan Force United crew, the car is good to go for a busy session in which there is much to accomplish.  The team is eager to make up for a lost day, with data to gather, ECU and mapping work to do, upshift/downshift issues to explore, and some chassis work to accomplish.  None of this is overly dependent on raw speed, which is probably a good thing. 

Clearly, the heavily experienced team, a number of which proudly wear their Indy 500 champion rings, have an ambitious plan to work and some important steps to accomplish as they continue to prepare for the grand event of May 27^th.  All are well aware of the engine power and top speed issues.  The vast majority of that is out of their hands, so they choose to focus on that which is in their hands (along with the more-than-capable hands of their esteemed and highly regarded driver), making sure that they are doing all that they can to put on to the track the finest racecar that they can possibly produce.  Today, the team will spend a couple of hours running laps, as seat time for Jean, for his comfort (though he is well on top of things as they stand), is also quite crucial.

As Jean returns to the track with a car that has been checked over following his installation lap, one cannot help but note the distinct hum of the Lotus engine as it traverses the main straight of the Brickyard.  It might be down on power, and it might be a bit slower, but it certainly has a sweet, slightly throaty sound that is quite pleasing to the ear.  Romanticizing complete, Jean runs a number of laps in the 204mph range and is in to download (figuratively and literally).

His third visit to the racetrack sees him complete one lap before returning to the pit.  This usually indicates some type of problem, but apparently it was nothing too serious, as he quickly returned to the track for yet another number of laps in excess of 204mph.  Sticker tires go on to the car, and Jean goes out to post another 204mph lap.  For the next round of laps, the team put 15 gallons of fuel into the tank for the purpose of an extended run.  It is inside this run that Jean would post his quick lap of the day in the mid 205mph range.  Consistent laps at the edge of the car’s performance come to him with ease on this longer run.  It’s nice to know that he and the car can do this without much trouble and feeling more than comfortable, but of course it is not good enough.  At the very least, the team is getting solid fuel consumption readings.  Again, there is so much to do. 

The Fan Force United crew and he Lotus brand ambassador are having a heavy hand in the development of this engine.  We know that this will result in benefits and solid gains down the road, but as of right now, going up against the other manufacturers is a monumental task.  Fortunately, everyone on this team has dealt with adversity, so we just keep our heads down and keep on working.  With the hand we were dealt and which we cheerfully accepted, we’re behind, not dead, and we’re not rolling over.

Despite being at the tail end of the speed charts, Jean is having to balance the demands of being an Indianapolis rookie with the overwhelming flood of media requests from all around the world, as access to our driver is sought from outlets far and wide.  This serves as a testament to his significant popularity, more than a decade removed from his retirement from the most prestigious stage of world motorsport.  Undoubtedly, they come for Jean and to tell his story; but perhaps a recognition of the tenacity of this terrific little Indy 500 team that wasn’t, and then was and is, will filter its way into the stories that they will tell the world.

On to Jean’s final run of the day.  Can we use the word “consistent” too often.  The answer is probably “yes,” but it’s applicable.  Consistency is good, we just wish it was a bit quicker.  Hey, we’re just trying to be honest here.  The car is parked and Jean hops out.  It’s time to head back to the garage.  It will be almost four more hours before the team calls it a night and vacates the premises just before the gates are closed for the evening.  The Lotus Fan Force United crew is the last to leave practically every night.    

Jean talks to some media about the newness of so many of the experiences of being here in Indianapolis, even pointing out that having spotters in his ear is new for him.  Later he will add that “the chance to race at Indianapolis is a real gift.”  Now who couldn’t love a guy like that?

To go along with the attention that this Alesi, Lotus, and Fan Force United team has generated, some controversy has been stirred by Jean’s reaction to the events of the day.  When asked to sum up his time on the track, Jean, without any excitement and without the slightest hint of exasperation, calmly and straightforwardly stated: “Right now, I feel very unsafe, being quite slow in the middle of the track, so I am quite concerned for my fellow drivers if we are not able to get the speed that we need.  I am flat out and I have reached 205 as the maximum that I can see.  So it is not a comfortable position right now.” 

With these sentiments, Jean is expressing his concern for his fellow competitors, communicating that he believes the situation as it stands to be one that is unsafe, simply due to the speed differential.  He is not necessarily saying that he fears for himself, or that he feels a lack of safety in the car.  Jean has made it quite clear that he is very comfortable in the car, and is simply desirous of going faster.  All of this makes sense, as he is a determined racer that wants to be competitive.  Jean remains fully confident in his team, and continues, along with the Fan Force team, to work hard to do all he can to find improvement in every possible area.

Let us see what tomorrow brings.  We will continue to enjoy the ride and the chance to be a part of the Greatest Spectacle In Racing! 

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