By: Ashley McCubbin

The Road to Indy is all about showcasing up-and-coming open-wheel talent, and the Indy Pro 2000 Championship is a great example of that as seen by three rookies atop the standings right now. Louis Foster enters the second race weekend of 2022 ranked second following a runner-up and third on the streets of St. Petersburg.

Prior to the series test at Barber Motorsports Park, the Exclusive Autosport driver spoke with NEWS FROM THE PITS.

ASHLEY MCCUBBIN: What are your thoughts on St. Petersburg?

LOUIS FOSTER: I felt it went really good. It felt good to be on the podium. It’s nice to show that the testing and training paid off, and we’re just going to go from there.

ASHLEY: What are your goals and expectations for the upcoming season?

LOUIS: Definitely to win the championship, that’s the goal. The expectation is to win the championship and get the prize money.

ASHLEY: So being that this is your first year in Indy Pro 2000, what are some of your early impressions / surprises about these racecars?

LOUIS: They’re really fun to drive. They’re quite loose and quite different than what I’ve driven in the past in Europe. But I like being in America as the feel is different, and a lot more enjoyable.

ASHLEY: I know early this season we’ve got three rookies sitting atop the standings. How much has the early success helped boost your confidence?

LOUIS: I think definitely being able to put some results on paper has been a good help with confidence that you are there, and it’s not just a little blitz during testing to put up one lap. It’s nice to know that you have what it takes and have a good chance to win the championship.

ASHLEY: Knowing what it means to win the championship and have an opportunity to move up the Road to Indy into Indy Lights, how much pressure does that put on your shoulders, number one? But number two, if there is pressure, how are you handling it and keeping calm and composed?

LOUIS: I think obviously adds pressure on you with such a big prize at the end of it and very important for career direction. I tend to not feel the pressure too bad. I just take one step at a time. I don’t even look at where the results stack up in the championship. I don’t want to know right now – I just focus on each race till the last few rounds. My goal is to keep doing what I can in each race, and trying to win races.

ASHLEY: As a driver, where do you feel you can work on to be better behind the wheel?

LOUIS: I would say probably qualifying. It seems our race pace is really good, but obviously this is a new tire compound that I am using with the Coopers. They’re very different than what I’m used to driving on with the Pirelli and getting the most out of them in qualifying can be challenging. So I am working towards knowing what I need to do.

ASHLEY: How did you get started in racing?

LOUIS: I started karting when I was about eight years old. My dad took me to the track from when I was five or six, and from then on, we kept on doing it. Eventually when I turned 14, I jumped into a car in the UK.

ASHLEY: What has been the most memorable / standout moment of your career so far?

LOUIS: I would say two of the biggest wins I’ve had. One would be in 2021 when I won the European race at Spa, or it’d be 2020 in Formula at Spa when I jumped into a new car, and in my second race, I scored a win. Both of those are pretty special for me.