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Mid-Ohio IndyCar: Luca Filippi says Herta giving him no pressure

Luca Filippi says that team owner Bryan Herta has not issued him with any specific targets as he prepares to make his IndyCar debut at Mid-Ohio this weekend

The Italian tested with Bryan Herta Autosport at the track on Wednesday before being confirmed as Alex Tagliani's replacement for this weekend.

But while BHA is keen to improve its results over the remainder of the season, Filippi insists that he has not been put under any pressure.

"Bryan was very nice to me," he said. "He has a lot of faith and has been following me since GP2, and says that he appreciates what I've done.

"He has just told me to take my time and that there's no pressure, I don't need to rush. He is not putting any pressure on results or on the weekend.

"It's myself who wants to perform. I'm a racing driver and it's a competition, so the biggest pressure comes from myself and the biggest expectation comes from myself. I know that these guys are fast and they're going to be tough to beat.

"I'm not expecting anything special, but I have my goals in my mind and I still need to work to get closer."

HOPING FOR MORE OUTINGS

While he says that there are no external expectations upon him, Filippi admits that his chances of making additional appearances with the team depend in part on how this weekend goes.

"[Whether I do any more races] is going to be a team decision," he said.

"This is a great opportunity for me, and it is obvious that it's going to be related to my performance over the weekend.

"If I do well, I'll probably have more chances. But it's not my decision. It will be a team decision, and who will do the best for the team between now and the end of the season."

The 27-year-old was an impressive fifth fastest in Friday's second practice session.

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