Citing a lack of testing and falling from the top 22 in entrant points, Alex Tagliani and Bryan Herta Autosport, known as Team Barracuda-BHA this season, has withdrawn from the next round of the IZOD IndyCar Series season at Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The team posted on Twitter: "After not finishing the last 2 races & falling out of the top 22 in points, Team Barracuda-BHA has elected not to send our cars to Brazil next weekend. Instead, we will refocus on the Indy 500 and coming back stronger than ever."
Team principal Bryan Herta added, "Wow, thanks for all the positive support. We @BHA hate missing any race but this will help to be stronger for Indy and rest of year."
Tagliani engaged in an impromptu question and answer session with his fans and followers in the aftermath, and largely stated the team needed both live testing miles and simulations to compensate for the lack of testing with the Lotus engine. Aside from a single day with the Lotus test car in Texas, there has been almost no oval testing for IndyCar's newest manufacturer, and Lotus missed the series' open test at Indianapolis earlier this month.
Tagliani has fought engine issues the last couple races, and wasn't able to take advantage of a 10th-place starting position at Long Beach – promoted that high as a result of all the Chevrolet engine changes and grid penalties.
That leaves 26 cars, which was the original intended number for Sao Paulo, set to be placed on planes and shipped for the next race. Tagliani qualified second in Brazil for the debut of his FAZZT team in 2010.