Sowery shares the grid with fellow Brits Louis Foster and Jamie Chadwick, but only on occasion. He’s back with HMD, but only for three races. The first, at Barber Motorsports Park, has been and gone – and he finished third, without the benefit of winter pre-season testing. “My personal goal was a podium,” he states, making it clear we shouldn’t be surprised that after so long away he was instantly a frontrunner. His further outings, as substitute for busy teenager Josh Pierson who has shared commitments in the World Endurance Championship and IMSA, will come in Detroit and Laguna Seca. Toby sees no reason why a repeat of the Barber result shouldn’t be possible at both venues.
It’s just a shame he can’t race more often. Both Foster and Chadwick are far better known, coming off the back of their titles in Indy Pro 2000 and W Series respectively. Last weekend Sowery was in Indianapolis with HMD to watch the NXT race on the road course, where Foster scored his first podium in the series by finishing second to Matteo Nannini (nephew of charismatic 1989 Japanese Grand Prix winner Alessandro Nannini). It can’t be easy to be on the sidelines. “I’ve got my races and my plan in place,” Sowery counters. “If I didn’t have that I’d be very frustrated, like having an itch you can’t scratch.”
The IndyCar test with RLL at Sebring on June 8, just after his Indy NXT race in Detroit, is what’s really driving him forward right now. It has come about through “being smart and making things happen”, plus getting to know Bobby Rahal. “When he was over in the UK he took time out to have lunch and meet me,” Sowery explains. “He’s been amazing. Genuinely a really nice guy who’s got heart and a love for the sport. There are no catches with him.”
So what does Sowery want to take from the experience? “For me it’s about acclimatising to the car and showing pace and consistency, with detailed feedback,” he replies. “At this level that’s what all drivers should be able to do, but it’s the relationship with the team that makes the big difference.” RRL, like the rest of the IndyCar world, has a certain race to deal with right now – the Indy 500 at the end of the month. But then Sowery will find out more about the plan for Sebring. “It’ll be interesting to see what they want,” he says. “What I want is to turn up, go P1 with great feedback and for them to say ‘Jesus Christ, this kid’s a rocket, we need him!’ But there are a lot of fast drivers out there, so it needs to be about more than just turning up and being quick.”