Tony Kanaan says he is back on the market for the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season after failing to secure the sponsorship to go ahead with his deal with De Ferran Dragon Racing.
Gil de Ferran's squad had announced Andretti Autosport refugee Kanaan as its 2011 driver last December (ABOVE), but Kanaan now says this plan has fallen through.
"I came up with some money, but not enough," Kanaan told the Indianapolis Star. "The bottom line now is, who will give me a deal and for how many races?"
The IndyCar season is due to start in St. Petersburg in just over a month and, although potentially strong teams including Newman/Haas, Conquest, KV, Dreyer & Reinbold and Dale Coyne are yet to announce their full lineups, all are likely to have financial considerations.
"It's hard to take, especially a month before the championship starts," Kanaan added. "It's sad, but I'm going to keep fighting and go find something to drive."
The 2004 IndyCar champion parted company with Andretti Autosport at the end of last year following eight seasons together. The move was prompted by the loss of the primary sponsor on Kanaan's car, which will be driven by ex-Dreyer & Reinbold racer Mike Conway this year. Andretti Autosport announced yesterday that DHL was joining its sponsor lineup as a co-primary on Ryan Hunter-Reay's car and an associate on Conway's.