Saavedra thrusts himself into Silly Season chatter with 2-race audition for SPM

INDIANAPOLIS – Schmidt Peterson Motorsports has made no promises to Sebastian Saavedra beyond this season.

But Saavedra is no fool. The 27-year-old with 63 career IndyCar races on his resume knows an opportunity when he sees one.

And SPM announcing Wednesday that Saavedra will replace Mikhail Aleshin in the No. 7 Honda at Pocono and Gateway the next two race weekends is one big, fat opportunity.

Saavedra knows that with Aleshin on the outs, there will be at least one vacant seat at SPM next season, and he now finds himself in the prime position of being able to audition in the car of the very people looking for a new wheelman.

“It’s an opportunity that you can’t deny when looking at the good future prospects it might bring.” Saavedra told IndyStar on Wednesday. “These next couple weeks are going to be very crucial on my side to showcase what I’m capable of and opening up opportunities for 2018.”

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Saavedra put himself in this enviable position with his strong showing in Toronto, where he was first called upon by SPM to replace a slumping Aleshin. In Toronto, not only did Saavedra climb from a starting spot of 20th to finish 11th, but he did so under some incredibly difficult circumstances. Before that race weekend, he had never driven a Honda aerokit, hadn’t piloted an Indy car on a street course in more than two years and had to overcome mechanical problems midrace.

It’s no wonder management at SPM thought of Saavedra when SMP Racing -- Aleshin's Russian racing sponsor -- elected to move Aleshin into development of its BR Engineering's World Endurance Championship LMP1 car.

“Toronto opened the doors, and I think opened the eyes of the management,” said the young Colombian. “I would say without Toronto this would have never been an opportunity.”

Now Saavedra has another opportunity: an opportunity to expand his resume.

He already showed his prowess in an SPM car on a street course. Now, he has the chance to prove he can be effective for the team on ovals.

At Pocono, he will get a second crack at a superspeedway in 2017 after finishing 15th in the IndyCar debut of Juncos Racing at the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Then at Gateway, he’ll take his shot at a short oval.

“I feel that I was able to do (race) strong at a street course,” Saavedra said. “And now that I have a superspeedway and a short oval ahead of me, I’m doing all of the events that show (me) as a future prospect.”

As far as races beyond Gateway, Saavedra indicated he likely will not be in the No. 7 car at Watkins Glen or the season finale at Sonoma.

Canadian driver Robert Wickens, who subbed for Aleshin at Road America practices while the Russian dealt with visa issues, appears to be among the frontrunner to run those races, but SPM has not committed to any driver beyond Saavedra's entry at Gateway.

“Looking at the political side, there might be more interest for them to go down a different path in those races,” Saavedra said. “But it depends on the opportunities I open in the the next couple of events. Watkins Glen and Sonoma are both places I enjoy running, so if that opportunity were to come, I wouldn’t say no.”

Saavedra, though, isn't too concerned about those races. His focus is on taking advantage of the opportunity at hand. If the next two weekends go well, the rest will take care of itself.

“There are things that I can’t say about as far as my conversations with (SPM management), but what I can say is these next couple of weeks are going to be very important for me."

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Instagram: @jimayello.