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Berlin Formula E clash could rule de Silvestro out of Indy 500

2015-2016 FIA Formula E Championship - Buenos Aires ePrix

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - FEBRUARY 06: Simona de Silvestro of Andretti Formula E Team during the Buenos Aires ePrix as part of 2015-2016 FIA Formula E Championship at Puerto Madero Street Race Track on February 06, 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Amilcar Orfali/Getty Images for TAG Heuer)

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BUENOS AIRES - Simona de Silvestro doubts that she will take part in the 100th Indianapolis 500 this May due to her existing commitments with Andretti in Formula E.

De Silvestro has made five Indy 500 starts, recording a best finish of 14th in her first appearance that earned her the Rookie of the Year award at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2010. She only got to race in four of them, however, as she and Jean Alesi were parked within the opening 10 laps due to an off-pace Lotus engine in 2012.

The Swiss driver joined Andretti in 2015 following her unsuccessful attempt to reach Formula 1 with Sauber, and has raced for its Formula E team since the London ePrix back in June.

Speaking to MotorSportsTalk in Buenos Aires, de Silvestro admitted that although she is still keen to race in IndyCar, her focus for the time being primarily lies with Formula E.

“I always tease Michael [Andretti] a little bit about it because he knows I’m really passionate about IndyCar and there’s still stuff that I wish I could race there and show what I can do still,” de Silvestro said.

“But it’s just difficult and really depending on sponsorship. Right now, Formula E is really the focus and the opportunity is really good here. I have to prove myself here and that’s what I’ve got to do first.

“Maybe who knows what happens next year or whatever or maybe one race, we never know. But that’s the good thing about a team like this. There’s different options and that’s cool.”

When asked about the possibility of racing at the Indy 500 in May, de Silvestro said that as much as she would like to be a part of the 100th running, qualifying’s clash with the Berlin ePrix makes her involvement unlikely.

“I’d love to you know because it’s the 100th running also,” de Silvestro said. “It’s really special because I’ve raced there four times now and it’d be really cool to do it, but it might be difficult this year especially with the Berlin race.

“I would have to miss quite a lot of practice and also qualifying. I wouldn’t be able to be there, so it makes it a little bit trickier.

“If Berlin wasn’t there, maybe it’d be more of a goal, but right now you never know. Berlin is the focus.”

Theoretically, another driver could qualify her car and she could race it. This happened at this past year’s Indianapolis 500 when Tristan Vautier qualified what would be James Davison’s car with Davison stuck at an existing commitment, but under unusual circumstances Vautier wound up racing Carlos Huertas’ car when Huertas was medically ruled out.

Meanwhile Ryan Briscoe also got a call-up under similarly unusual circumstances, filling in for the injured James Hinchcliffe after his accident in practice.

It wouldn’t be an ideal situation for de Silvestro, though, who’s traditionally shown better on road and street courses than on ovals throughout her IndyCar starts.

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