IndyCar driver Christian Rasmussen drove his best result at the Indy 500, achieving his first top six finish. For his second year of IndyCar, Rasmussen is partnered with experienced teammate Alex Rossi at Ed Carpenter Racing.
Rasmussen spoke exclusively to Pit Debrief about his working relationship with Rossi.
Rossi as a “mentor” figure for Rasmussen
Rasmussen spoke highly of Rossi’s work ethic, explaining that he takes a methodical approach to the sport. When asked how he’s taken advantage of having the former Indy 500 winner on his team, Rasmussen explained that “It’s a lot of small things.”
The Danish driver highlighted how he’s picked up some of Rossi’s habits for approaching an IndyCar race weekend.
“I think just being next to him and seeing how he works through a weekend.
“He’s also a very methodical. He has a very methodical approach to it. Just having seen how he goes through a weekend and how he kind of works through everything has been a help to me. I think what I’ve been used to in the past is a little bit different.
“I think it’s good to have a mentor and kind of getting into those good habits of how to do things on a weekend has been really good.
“And then from the driving side, we have all of each other’s data and video and stuff. So, there’s not really anything new.
“I think for me, what I’ve been impressed by Alex is his, just the way he approaches the weekend and how he works very methodical.”
Rasmussen on relationships with other drivers
When asked about other people in the paddock he goes to for guidance, Rasmussen explained that he’s developed relationships off track with fellow IndyCar drivers. Having moved from Europe to America in 2018, he expressed the importance of developing relationships in a new environment.
“I’ve become friendly, I would say with multiple drivers. But it’s very little racing-related stuff that we talk about. I think it’s more just to have some friends in a way, in a busy world.
“I’m from Copenhagen, Denmark and obviously had come over here to a new country without really knowing anyone. And just, I think developing relationships like that is important, whether it’s on the track or outside of the track.
“Obviously, we spend a lot of time with each other. Even though we’re competitors, we do a lot of events together and it’s on the same schedule. I’ve had a couple of drivers in the paddock that I obviously get along super well with, and then we hang out off the track and do all sorts of different stuff.”
