The term almost has become synonymous with Santi Urrutia.

The 21-year-old Uruguayan has finished the past two seasons as the championship runner-up in Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires – the final step of the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder. The result has meant heartbreak on narrowly missing out on the $1 million scholarship that comes with the Indy Lights title to secure advancement to the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Despite last year’s outcome, there was a chance that Urrutia would move up anyway. However, various circumstances left him on the outside looking in, so the goal for 2018 returns to the one guarantee that gets him there: Win the Indy Lights title.

“I’m focusing on Indy Lights right now,” said Urrutia, driver of the No. 5 Mazda/Dallara IL-15 for Belardi Auto Racing in this weekend’s season-opening doubleheader at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

“I want to win the championship. I want to get the scholarship and then that’s going to bring me 100 percent to INDYCAR for four races (in 2019). So right now, what I have to do is win the championship.”

Coming off two wins and nine podiums last season, Urrutia helped Belardi capture the team championship. However, with five finishes of 11th place or worse, he knows there is room for improvement as he seeks more consistency.

“Yeah, I think a lot of things will change from last year,” said Urrutia, who owns six wins and 16 podiums in 24 career Indy Lights races.

“I think Brian (Belardi, team owner) is doing a great job with the team and everything. I’m going to approach the season in a different way than I did last year. … You have to be always right there, at least in top five (in each race) to win the championship.

“We need to be strong every weekend. That’s the whole goal this year, is to be strong every weekend and win races when we have the car. If we don’t have the car to win, then we have to finish second or third. It’s going to be a tough year.”

With just one pole position last season and two during a rookie campaign in 2016, Urrutia believes strengthening his effort in qualifying could lead to even better results.

“I need to improve a lot of things, especially in qualifying,” said Urrutia, the 2015 titlist for the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires – the second rung of the Mazda Road to Indy. “I have to get better laps on qualifying and everything. This is going to be my third year in Indy Lights, so I know the car now, the tires, the tracks, everything. So everything should be fine.”

Indy Lights will officially kick off its season with first practice at 8:50 a.m. ET today, followed by Race 1 qualifying at 1:40 p.m. Qualifying for Race 2 is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning, with the green flag waving for the first race at 1:05 p.m. The second race starts at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Live streaming of all sessions is available at RaceControl.IndyCar.com.