Bertrand Baguette Lands Indy Seat with Conquest Racing

Bertrand Baguette's impressive performances in the Formula Renault 3.5 series last year paid off, as the 24-year old Belgian has recently secured a full-time racing seat with IndyCar Series team Conquest Racing. Baguette is set to join Mario Romancini – also a former Formula Renault racer – in Eric Bachelart's lineup, after securing the sponsorship for a full campaign in 2010.

“I've always been attracted to racing in America. American open-wheel racing has a rich heritage and is a fantastic opportunity for me. I am looking forward to the 15 races this year. I will carry the yellow color of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium's National Team with pride, especially during the legendary Indianapolis 500,” said the 24-year old driver after inking the deal.

His debut in the series will not take place until the 3rd round of the ongoing campaign, at the Barber Motorsports Park. Consequently, he will use the upcoming IndyCar race on the streets of St. Petersburg to get acquainted with his new team and get familiar with the way and Indy opearation works during a Grand Prix weekend.

“I am completely confident in the capacities of Bertrand to quickly adapt to IndyCar. Because of his ability to adapt well to new formula, I am confident he will learn the art of oval racing relatively quickly,” added Conquest boss Eric Bachelart.

Following his Formula Renault 3.5 title last year, the Belgian driver was offered a test with Renault F1 Team (during the rookie test in December last year). Soon after that, Baguette told the media that he'll almost certainly land an F1 seat in 2010, even if not necessarily as a race driver (with BMW Sauber F1). He was eventually dropped by the Swiss team prior to the start of the season and has been looking for a continuation of his single-seater career ever since.