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IndyCar champion Scott Dixon believes his new Ganassi team-mate Felix Rosenqvist can cause as much of a stir in his rookie season as Robert Wickens did in 2018.
DTM convert Wickens was sixth in the championship in his first IndyCar campaign last year, having taken a pole position and four podium finishes, before being seriously injured in a horrific crash at Pocono.
Rosenqvist arrives in IndyCar having been a race-winner in Formula E and Indy Lights, a European Formula 3 champion and a Super Formula frontrunner, and also has sportscar success to his name.
Dixon predicts this wide range of experience could stand the 27-year-old Swede in good stead.
“He’s been very good on feedback and he’s definitely got great car control,” said Dixon.
“He’s a rookie in IndyCar but he’s driven so many different things – sportscars, GT3s, a little bit of rallying… so it’s very different to hear his perspective on a lot of different things.”
Asked if Rosenqvist could emulate Wickens, who won the Rookie of the Year award at both the Indianapolis 500 and in the IndyCar championship, Dixon replied: “Absolutely, yeah. I think with Robbie – I don’t know why – it was a little more under cover and I don’t why that is. But he’s been very good at many formulas throughout his career.
“And Felix for sure has the opportunity to do the same thing.”
Rosenqvist was less certain about his chances of emulating Wickens’ immediate success.
“You never know,” Rosenqvist responded when Dixon’s comments were put to him.
“I always aim to win races wherever I go. I’m not here to play around.
“I have high expectations of myself and I know I’m with probably the best team with Chip Ganassi Racing.
“I have all the right preparations going for me and that’s more important than anything.
“I’m here to win and I think it’s more a question of when rather than if.”
Despite his very varied career, Rosenqvist said he had always aimed for a shot at IndyCar – an ambition heightened after scoring three Indy Lights victories in his 10-race partial season in 2016 with Belardi Auto Racing.
“When I did Indy Lights, I told everyone that I would be back one day,” he said.
“That had been a dream of mine to drive IndyCar. And then Formula E came by and although no one expected Formula E to be around, it’s a really nice championship and everyone is very professional, the drivers get paid and it was a great time there. I really loved Formula E.
“But still my dream of IndyCar was bigger.
“From a sporting point of view, to drive these cars at these great circuits gave me a hunger to come here and that became bigger than the love I had for Formula E.
“So I took the chance and here I am.”
Rosenqvist was second-fastest at Laguna Seca last week in a team-organised IndyCar group test. The official pre-season ‘spring training’ test at Austin begins later on Tuesday.