Trevor Carlin last month informed Motorsport.com that his team was unlikely to expand upward to IndyCar in 2017, having failed to land Aleshin, while the Russian himself says he and SMP faced a hard decision over which IndyCar team to race for this year.

“The negotiations were very tough and it was very difficult to choose,” he told Motorsport.com. “But finally we signed a very good contract.

“There were so many factors, difficult to name them all. The financial question wasn't the main one, I can tell you that much, because the team made us a great offer. Like, for example, there was the question of how I'd combine this with working on the [SMP-run Dallara] sport prototype, because it's a big job. But then we realized it was possible to do.

“Of course, myself and Carlin have many great memories together. It's a great team, I love them a lot, respect them, value them and so on - but it didn't work out for various reasons. And actually the Schmidt team wanted to work with us a lot more - and demonstrated that, with not just words but actions.

“We won't rule out anything: I've got a close relationship with Trevor, he has achieved incredible results in motorsport and I am not going to say that a future partnership is impossible. Just now, the way it turned out, we decided to sign a deal with Sam's team.”

Personal goals and gaining experience

Aleshin said the aims for his third season in the Verizon IndyCar Series were to score “good points” more regularly.

“I think I have to be in the top 10 [in the championship] at this point, definitely. I have to work. I'd like to win races, of course, I think that's very important, and... fight for good points on a consistent basis, get in less trouble, because that has a big effect on the final result.

“Experience is lacking – just simply experience. If you look at it, nobody in the last 20 years has won this championship until they've raced in it for four to five years. Will Power was racing already in Champ Car, so he'd got eight years in American racing before he won the title. Simon Pagenaud has also been for 10 years in America in various championships, first Champ Car and then endurance racing... and then he won IndyCar in his fifth season back in the championship.

“IndyCar's not a championship you can win just by having a good car, it's a championship you can win only if everything is working well. It's not Formula 1 where you're given a good car and you're winning.… Pretty much any driver on the grid can win a race.”

Asked if his near-misses at Mid-Ohio and Pocono last year had made him desperate for a first win, Aleshin replied: “Nah, when you're feeling like that, it's best not to race anywhere. You have to go step-by-step, work towards the goal.

“Even if something didn't work out last year when it could've, you shouldn't get ahead of yourself and just work, calmly and systematically. If you're thinking 'oh man, when I show up, I'll prove everything to everyone', you're in trouble.”