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[h=2]Derani tests with SPM in day to 'remember forever'[/h] By Marshall Pruett / Images by IMS Photo

Brazilian sports car hot shoe Luis "Pipo" Derani finished his first Verizon IndyCar Series test with one desire.

"I only had one day in the car, but I hope to do more in the future," he told RACER after piloting the No. 5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda at Sebring International Raceway.
Derani, who drives full-time in IMSA's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the Scott Sharp- and Ed Brown-owned Tequila Patron ESM team, worked his way up the European open-wheel ladder and spent some time on the Mazda Road To Indy before the call came to race LMP2 prototypes.



The chance to return to his open-wheel roots with the SPM test came via the relationships he has with Brown and Sam Schmidt. "My relationship with Sam goes back a few years ago, since I was driving with Ed Brown; Ed said I needed to try an IndyCar, and Sam said he liked the idea," said Derani, who helped ESM to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring in 2016.
"Sam said that since I tested an Indy Lights car with him a while ago, I have gotten a lot more experience since then. I also think Sam likes a little bit that I race prototypes; maybe it reminds him a bit of [former SPM driver] Simon Pagenaud who came [to SPM] from the same type of cars."
After sampling the 1,000-plus horsepower contained within the Toyota TS050 LMP1 hybrid prototype he tested late last year, Derani said adjusting to the speed of the Honda-powered Dallara DW12 IndyCar chassis was more reasonable than expected.
"I was taking it very calm, just as another racecar," he added. "The power is nice, very similar to the P1 car I tested in Bahrain last year. The braking is really nice, and the thing I enjoyed the most was having my head in the wind. After two years of driving in a prototype [with a roof], it was a nice experience and I have to thank Sam and the team for the chance."
Derani turned a lap of 52.69s around the Sebring short course, which compared favorably to Canadian ace (and IndyCar first timer) Robert Wickens, who managed a 52.41s in the same car later in the day.
"I did around 100 laps in the car, and it was nice that I could help them do many things on their test list and that they trust me to help develop things," Derani said. "It felt like I barely got out of the car all day. I hope I was able to help the team with what they needed."
Given the chance to do more testing or possibly race, the busy 23-year-old would leap at the opportunity provided it fits within his IMSA duties and the extracurricular activities as an endurance driver for the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT program in Europe.
"It's just a test, but who knows," he said with a notable hint of optimism. "It's nice I've opened a new door. I have GTs with Ganassi, the prototypes with ESM, and I'm happy for now that the [SPM] team have me the opportunity. I am a lucky guy. Where I am today, with the people I have around me, and to do the thing I love with a lot of professional people, is great. Today was a blessed day I will remember forever and I can't wait until I can back into one of those machines again."