Q: Where is a good location to see latest on IndyCar team’s car and driver combinations for 2024? Neither RACER or IndyCar websites have a good breakdown of the teams and driver lineups for 2024. I was wondering if any of the Honda teams are considering switching to Chevy, or if Honda is planning to up its production? Currently, I see that there are 15 confirmed Honda car/driver lineups including two from Coyne. Honda would be up to 17 if Andretti and Rahal decide to run a fourth car. What is Honda’s max number of engine leases per race?
Will Oliver Askew find a ride in 2024 now that Carpenter has chosen another path?
Does Coyne, Foyt, and Juncos have timelines for number of cars they will run, along with driver announcements? Do you think Abel, Paretta or Cusick have plans to join IndyCar full time? If yes, wouldn’t they have to be under the Chevy umbrella due to engine lease numbers?
Todd
MP: I’m not aware of any engine manufacturer changes happening for 2024. I’m also not aware of any plans for either manufacturer to increase their respective engine pool sizes. Honda is contractually obligated to supply Andretti Global with four full-season engine leases, so if Andretti opts to run four, Honda’s on the hook for four. Ganassi’s late decision to run five is where the limits have been stretched; Honda wants to be at 15, but it wasn’t going to deny its reigning champions when Ganassi asked for another lease to accommodate Kyffin Simpson’s rookie campaign. Rahal has no inroads on a fourth engine; its best chances to get one, for select races, only, would be if Andretti stays at three.
Barring a move that I can’t foresee, Oliver Askew will not be driving an IndyCar next season.
Coyne, Foyt, and Juncos will be running the same two-car teams like they did in 2023. The only change could be if Penske-Foyt want to run a third car at some point to get the squad tuned and ready for 2025.
Abel and Cusick will not be going full-time in 2024; they are aligned with Chevy. As we’ve written a few times, Paretta has been mentioned as part of Andretti’s fourth entry co-ownership/entrant group, which is powered by Honda.
Q: In a recent article you reported that Graham Rahal was ironing out the final details of a new contract with RLL. Based on his overall performance the past couple of seasons, I’m curious to know if he looked elsewhere before staying with RLL. It seems to me that his equipment and race team have not matched his driving talent, and in many instances he wore his frustration on his sleeve. I wonder how successful he might have been if he was with Penske or Ganassi? I guess we’ll never know. What are your thoughts?
Tom, Florida
MP: He and I spoke about his inquiries outside of RLL, and Graham said there were discussions held with other teams, but to be honest, I don’t know if any of the better teams had a real interest, or openings to consider. The top choice would have been Ganassi, where he drove for two tumultuous seasons, and I don’t think either side was interested in a reunion. Penske had no openings, nor did Andretti, and he doesn’t fit McLaren’s needs, so in the end, the only destinations I know of would have been teams that are behind RLL.
He’s always had the talent to win a championship, so I’d imagine Graham would have at least one if he’d spent years in one of the Big 3 teams. What’s concerning is the gap that’s emerged between Rahal — the long-held team leader — and Christian Lundgaard, who finished eighth in the championship while Graham placed 15th. Rahal had more misfortune last season than Lundgaard, but that doesn’t erase the gap. Graham and his engineers found something good to close the season, so if they can build on that in 2024, RLL should have more than the Dane to deliver big results. But if that gap remains, there will be no reason for Graham to believe it will be bridged.
Q: I don’t usually watch the lower series, especially in sports cars, but I happened to stream the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race over Petit weekend because I wanted to see Wickens win the TCR championship, and I wasn’t disappointed there!
However the race ended in a crazy way in the GS class. The Rebel Rock team was the winner of the championship on-track, but two cars got penalized and two more took themselves off the track during a yellow flag, which gave the championship to the Turner BMW (who went from 16th to 11th after the checkered!). The penalties were one thing, but the other two cars seemed to deliberately stop just to change the championship outcome. One was the Turner BMW teammate, and the other was a Mercedes and they came into the pits instead of coming to the checkered under yellow.
Then, on the live coverage, the driver of the 27 car came over and gave the Rebel Rock driver the bird! Even the TV broadcast said it appeared to be obvious and deliberate manipulation. Yet it seemed to be OK with IMSA.
I checked the results now, almost two weeks later, and they still show as provisional. So maybe IMSA is going to do something? Seems like a long time, though. Maybe this is worth a story? Similar manipulation in NASCAR and F1 have resulted in massive penalties.
Steve, Indianapolis, IN
MP: Having been there to see the MPC race play out, I can confirm that the chatter in the media center afterwards was all centered on the alleged manipulations of the outcome. I also happened to be sitting across from the PR rep for the Rebel Rock team, and there was no question as to whether an old on-track dispute between Rebel Rock’s owner/driver and the Mercedes team was the root of pitting on the last lap to deny Rebel Rock the title.
Since I can’t speak to the intention of the Mercedes team, I can only share the strong impressions expressed regarding an alleged impropriety.
UPDATE: I just received the following from an IMSA spokesperson in response to my query:
Official results and point standings for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge from Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta just went official. There were no changes from the provisional results.