Baltimore Grand Prix Organizers Unveil The Lotus IndyCar
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Baltimore is on the verge of bringing back the Grand Prix. It's still months away but race cars are already taking over the streets.
Weijia Jiang takes you inside the driver's seat.
Baltimore Grand Prix organizers hope this unveiling will shift focus away from business bumps in the road to what matters to them-- the racing.
Even a black cover can't hide its shape.
"You don't get to see a car like this right in front of your face," Jill Preston from Baltimore said.
Not only did a crowd see this year's Lotus IndyCar, they watched it being revealed for the first time ever-- a major event to promote the Baltimore Grand Prix.
IndyCar's CEO-- in town for the unveiling-- has a message for the city.
"It's very important for us to not let them down and make this a big event," Randy Bernard said.
The Lotus HVM driver Simona de Silvestro even took the car out for a spin.
"It was a lot of fun testing it on the wet streets of Baltimore today. I really enjoyed it," she said.
...And had a mock pit stop in the middle of Light Street.
"This is the year I'm going. Now, just to see that happen was pretty darn exciting," Pat Noone of Baltimore said.
De Silvestro competed in the inaugural race.
"I think it was one of the most physical races we had to go through because it was really bumpy," she said.
The road to the race has been bumpy, too. Just this week, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced a new contract with a new team of managers, who hope to take a victory lap.
"It's coming. Get ready, be prepared, buy your tickets, have a good time," Dale Dillon of Downforce Racing said.
Even though we got a first look at the car, it will compete in several other cities before hitting the streets of downtown Baltimore. Its first race will be next month in Florida.
The new contract is pending approval by the City's Board of Estimates. Members will vote next week.
