Indycar News & Rumors.

[bella]

Originally Posted by E.B

Great to see Wickens tweeting fantastic news, with a video showing a new milestone in his recovery.

https://twitter.com/robertwickens/st...84174817058818

have to applaud him for choosing to be public in his recovery. it can't be easy, particularly when he has a setback, but it's shining a light on the amount of work *anyone* going through a rehab programme has to put in. it's fantastic to see what modern techniques and technology can do to help someone regain mobility.

[S griffin]

It’s great to see him on the mend, I wish him luck for 2019

[bjohnsonsmith]

Looks like America Honda will replace Toyota as Long Beach sponsor.

https://racer.com/2019/01/31/america...beach-sponsor/

[S griffin]

Shame to end that association, but at least it keeps the race on the calendar

[S griffin]

Toyota have done a lot of good for the race and I’m sure Honda will do the same

[bjohnsonsmith]

Some developments regarding a return to Surfers.

https://racer.com/2019/02/04/queensl...-indycar-race/

[bjohnsonsmith]

Acura will be Long Beach title sponsors.

https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/02...ong-Beach-race

[bjohnsonsmith]

Firestone extends deal until 2025.

http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/141357

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Acura will be Long Beach title sponsors.

https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/02...ong-Beach-race

Ties in with imsa and penske nicely.

[rwintle]

Kimball back with Carlin for five races: St. Pete, Indy 500, Texas, Pocono, Laguna Seca. Kind of an unusual handful - one each of street, road, and (quad-)oval, and two 500-milers.


https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/02...-Sports-Awards

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by rwintle

Kimball back with Carlin for five races: St. Pete, Indy 500, Texas, Pocono, Laguna Seca. Kind of an unusual handful - one each of street, road, and (quad-)oval, and two 500-milers.


https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/02...-Sports-Awards

That still leaves a vacant seat for 12 races.

[Formulahistory]

Interesting, who will be the other driver racing that car.

[rwintle]

So this is the list as far as I can make it out (with thanks to those who posted earlier versions and the various press releases). Corrections/additions welcome, please:

A.J. Foyt Enterprises
4 Mattheus Leist
14 Tony Kanaan

Andretti Autosport
98 Marco Andretti
27 Alexander Rossi
28 Ryan Hunter-Reay
26 Zach Veach
25 Conor Daly (Indy 500 only)

Arrow Schmidt Peterson
5 James Hinchcliffe
6 Robert Wickens (car reserved in case of return)
7 Marcus Ericsson

Carlin
23 Charlie Kimball (five races)
59 Max Chilton

Chip Ganassi Racing
9 Scott Dixon (could also run as #1)
10 Felix Rosenqvist

Dale Coyne Racing
18 Sebastien Bourdais (with Vasser-Sullivan)
19 Santino Ferrucci

Dragonspeed
# Ben Hanley (part time program)

Ed Carpenter Racing
20 Ed Carpenter (ovals) / Ed Jones (street/road courses, with Scuderia Corsa)
21 Spencer Pigot

Harding Steinbrenner Racing
88 Colton Herta
8 Patricio O’Ward

Juncos Racing
# TBA (maybe)
# TBA (maybe)
# Santiago Urrutia (Indy 500 only; maybe)

McLaren
# Fernando Alonso (Indy 500 only)

Meyer Shank Racing with Arrow SPM
60 Jack Harvey (part time)

Rahal Letterman Lanigan
15 Graham Rahal
30 Takuma Sato
3? Jordan King (Indy 500 only)

Penske
12 Will Power
2 Josef Newgarden
22 Simon Pagenaud
3? Helio Castroneves (Indy 500 only; probably)

Previous drivers currently without IndyCar rides:
J.R. Hildebrand, Kyle Kaiser, Zachary Claman de Melo, Gabby Chaves, Carlos Muñoz, Pietro Fittipaldi, Jordan King, Rene Binder

[mstets]

If what is posted above is correct, sounds like 22 cars at most races this year, and that's counting the split ECR car as a full season effort. I was hoping increased interest in the series would result in more full season entrants.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by mstets

If what is posted above is correct, sounds like 22 cars at most races this year, and that's counting the split ECR car as a full season effort. I was hoping increased interest in the series would result in more full season entrants.

To be fair, it looks like with all the partial season entries, many races will be 23-25. And there's a few new teams dipping their toes in the water and at least one new full season team with the Steinbrenner team.

Is there any idea what Indy lights will look like now without the mazda road to Indy?

[peebee2]

Not sure O’Ward is actually really full-time.

[Formulahistory]

Castroneves will also do the Indy GP

[broadrun96]

HSR seems to be circling the drain this week, first rumbles, then only one car at COTA test and now O'Ward is out to seek other seats with his scholarship money.

From Racer "But as the calendar crept into 2019 we began hearing stories. Harding had laid off all but a couple people. Nothing was happening in the shop on Main Street in Speedway because money was tight, to be kind. And Steinbrenner had yet to announce any sponsorship.

The understanding was that Steinbrenner would take care of Herta, while Harding handled O’Ward – in terms of finding money."

Apparently it's been rumored in the paddock most of the offseason that there was no money and O'Ward wanted to take his cash to another team. Sounds like a partial season for him with Andretti and sadly he might be on the outside after that.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

Is there any idea what Indy lights will look like now without the mazda road to Indy?

Slim pickings as Indy management is promising to pick up the ladder money, and claims of expanding it, but I haven't seen it yet. I'm guessing it will be VERY sparse racing with a bit of a snoozefest at most tracks sadly.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

HSR seems to be circling the drain this week, first rumbles, then only one car at COTA test and now O'Ward is out to seek other seats with his scholarship money.

From Racer "But as the calendar crept into 2019 we began hearing stories. Harding had laid off all but a couple people. Nothing was happening in the shop on Main Street in Speedway because money was tight, to be kind. And Steinbrenner had yet to announce any sponsorship.

The understanding was that Steinbrenner would take care of Herta, while Harding handled O’Ward – in terms of finding money."

Apparently it's been rumored in the paddock most of the offseason that there was no money and O'Ward wanted to take his cash to another team. Sounds like a partial season for him with Andretti and sadly he might be on the outside after that.

There's more on O'Ward's predicament in this article.

http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/141435

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

There's more on O'Ward's predicament in this article.

http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/141435

Oops. Bye-bye Pato. Another article here:


https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/20...season-opener/

[rwintle]

Also, Kyle Kaiser testing for Juncos at COTA. I haven't seen anything confirming him with Juncos this year but I guess he might be?

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Slim pickings as Indy management is promising to pick up the ladder money, and claims of expanding it, but I haven't seen it yet. I'm guessing it will be VERY sparse racing with a bit of a snoozefest at most tracks sadly.

Mazda has covered Pato’s 2018 prize and indycar has guaranteed the 2019 Indy Lights winner so no need for conjecture there.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Andretti Autosport has announced a formal technical partnership with Harding Steinbrenner Racing.

http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/141452

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Mazda has covered Pato’s 2018 prize and indycar has guaranteed the 2019 Indy Lights winner so no need for conjecture there.

There was no conjecture about the money, as I stated Indy is covering the winner's money but few teams were in last year and zero new teams/cars announced for 2019. Even RM has doubts on the fields for Lights for 2019 being in the double digits consistently