Marcus Ericsson has been confirmed as Andretti Autosport’s newest IndyCar driver. The 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner will join the team at the end of the season on a new multi-year deal.
The Chip Ganassi Racing veteran brings his speedway success and leadership abilities to a team with a young core in Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood who are both seeking their first oval wins. It’s unclear if Romain Grosjean, who is out of contract in September, will continue with the team.
“Like everyone else, we have paid close attention to Marcus’ success in the NTT IndyCar Series and have been impressed with how quickly he proved that he belonged with the front-runners in what is arguably the most competitive IndyCar field ever,” said team owner Michael Andretti.
“It’s no secret that we want to win races and championships and to do that we need drivers like Marcus who have that natural talent and determined drive. We are excited for the winning mindset that Marcus brings to the table and I’m eager to see what next season has in store for us.”
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Ericsson’s quest to transition from bringing a budget to CGR to being paid to drive by a leading team has been in motion for quite some time, with numerous teams expressing interest in hiring the Swede. As RACER revealed last week, Ericsson is expected to be replaced by his young countryman Linus Lundqvist at CGR.
“I’m very happy and proud to be joining Andretti Autosport next season,” Ericsson said. “Andretti is one of the most legendary names in motorsports, so it is definitely a dream come true for me to join this team. I want to thank Michael and Dan [Towriss] for putting their trust in me and I can’t wait to get to know everyone in the organization. It’s a very exciting new chapter in my career and I’m really looking forward to getting to work achieving our goals together. Exciting times are ahead and I’m thankful for this opportunity.”
Ericsson’s soon-to-be former team wished the 32-year-old a warm farewell.
“Chip Ganassi Racing wishes Marcus Ericsson all the best in his future endeavors. In his time with CGR, the No. 8 team secured four victories, notably the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Chip Ganassi Racing looks forward to finishing the year strong and remains dedicated to upholding our winning tradition. The team will announce driver updates in due course.”