Rinus van Kalmthout is preparing for already his third season in the IndyCar. Last year, after a strong start, 'Veekay' eventually finished twelfth in the championship. It was not a bad season for the Dutchman, but in 2022 he hopes for more.

In an interview with The Telegraph Van Kalmthout makes no bones about it: it has to be better than last season. Employer Ed Carpenter Racing is a top team according to Van Kalmthout, but they lack that little bit of experience that other racing teams have. Veekay considers himself an underdog and hopes to finish between P6 and P8 in the standings at the end of the race.

The still only 21-year-old driver himself notices that he is still improving. "The racing instinct is the same. It doesn't matter what kind of car you give me, I know that during a race I will always come forward. That's a quality I have. If I see a gap, I think: why not? It is always more convenient to drive in front of someone than behind them. The competition knows they have a problem when they see me in the mirrors. I don't have to prove myself anymore."

First victory already a fact

Van Kalmthout knows that the competition doesn't consider him a one-day wonder either. After two years at the highest level in the United States, he stands on three podium finishes, including one victory. That one Veekay booked in 2021 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.