Information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the press announcement, but may be subject to change without prior notice.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tokyo, March 7, 2016 ---Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. today announced that Helio Castroneves of Team Penske, sponsored by the Hitachi Group, will start his campaign for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series championship in the season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 13.
Helio Castroneves, born in Brazil in 1975, has been a driver for the famed U.S. auto racing organization Team Penske since 2001 and is a three-time winner of the prestigious Indianapolis 500 mile race (2001, 2002 and 2009). Racing as the Hitachi driver, he placed second in the U.S. Verizon IndyCar Series championship standings in 2013 and 2014, demonstrating the strength and stability of his performance.
2016 marks the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 mile race as well as the 50 year anniversary of Team Penske. The Hitachi will serve as a primary sponsor on the No.3 Team Penske Chevrolet IndyCar for eight races in seven cities this season.
●：Hitachi primary sponsor race
| Date | Place |
|---|---|
| March 13(Sun.) | ●St. Petersburg, Florida |
| April 2(Sat.) | Avondale, Arizona |
| April 17(Sun.) | Long Beach, California |
| April 24(Sun.) | Birmingham, Alabama |
| May 14(Sat.) | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| May 29(Sun.) | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| June 4(Sat.) | ●Detroit, Michigan |
| June 5(Sun.) | ●Detroit, Michigan |
| June 11(Sat.) | Fort Worth, Texas |
| June 26(Sun.) | ●Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin |
| July 10(Sun.) | Newton, Iowa |
| July 17(Sun.) | Toronto, Canada |
| July 31(Sun.) | ●Lexington, Ohio |
| Aug. 21(Sun.) | ●Long Pond, Pennsylvania |
| Sep. 4(Sun.) | ●Boston, Massachusetts |
| Sep. 18(Sun.) | ●Sonoma, California |
Helio Castroneves
The 2016 design race car
Hitachi Automotive Systems will continue to use its sponsorship of motor sports, including Verizon IndyCar Series racing, to further grow the Hitachi brand and contribute to motor sports.
Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company is engaged in the development, manufacture, sales and services of automotive components, transportation related components, industrial machines and systems, and offers a wide range of automotive systems including engine management systems, electric power train systems, drive control systems and car information systems. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi-automotive.co.jp/en/
