Schmidt Peterson Motorsports general manager Piers Phillips says driver Mikhail Aleshin is expected to return to competition for this weekend’s Verizon IndyCar Series Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio but “the Fat Lady hasn’t sung yet.”

Aleshin was kept out of the No. 7 Honda at the July 16 Honda Indy Toronto with the original reason given as the number of cars the Russian has crashed. He was replaced by Sebastian Saavedra of Colombia for that race, but Aleshin traveled to Toronto and remained part of the team.

Aleshin has crashed out of three of his 11 races this season, including two of this last three races (Texas and Iowa).

Phillips told Autoweek at Toronto that Aleshin would return by Mid-Ohio.

“That’s still the plan at this moment in time,” Phillips told Autoweek at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Everyone knows what went on at Toronto. Mikhail came to the event, was really good, worked with the engineers, looked at data and worked with the team over the weekend.

“He has a renewed vigor for this weekend. That should be good because he was really quick there last year and possibly could have won it if it hadn’t been for an incident in pit lane. We are hoping for good things again this weekend.”

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