2015 IndyCar silly season thread

[Formulahistory]

It looks like there will be more full-time IndyCars on next year's gread.

Penske first time in history will drive with four cars: Power, Castroneves, Montoya and Pagenaud!
Ganassi will stay with four cars, Dixon, Kanaan and Kimball will stay, but perhaps Briscoe will leave the team for Karam.
Schmidt Peterson Hamilton will stay with two cars, in the first one with Aleshin if SMP could pay and in the second they will likely replace Pagenaud with Hinchcliffe
Andretti: Four cars are likely, three or five are possible. Hunter-Reay, Munoz and Andretti are safe, Hinchcliffe is leaving, perhaps Wilson or Abt or both will jumb in.
KVSH: Two cars are likely, perhaps there will be just one or even three cars. Bourdais is safe, perhaps Saavedra will stay, they also want to sign Hinchcliffe.
CFH: Two cars are likely, three are possible. Newgarden is safe, Carpenter will drive the oval tracks with Conway likely to return on the street circuits. Could also be Filippi, Hildebrand or ServiÃ* if Conway will be Toyota LMP1 driver. Hildebrand is working on a third car.
Dale Coyne: One or two cars: Wilson could leave, Huertas' plans are not known. They tested Gonzalez last week.
Herta: Hawksworth is very likely moving to Foyt, so there will be a new driver like Filippi or Chaves.
Foyt: It's likely they will enter a second car, with Sato staying and Hawksworth is very likely moving to Foyt
Rahal: I think they will field one car for Rahal or another driver like Filippi.
Fan Force United: They try to put together a full season with Stefan Wilson.

So we will have a minimun of 21 cars and a maximum of 28 cars with 23-25 cars are very likely.

My suggestion:
Penske: Power, Castroneves, Montoya, Pagenaud
Ganassi: Dixon, Kanaan, Kimball, Karam (?)
Schmidt Peterson Hamilton: Aleshin (?), Hinchcliffe (?)
Andretti: Hunter-Reay, Munoz, Andretti, Abt (?)
KVSH: Bourdais, Saavedra (?)
CFH: Newgarden, Carpenter/Conway (?)
Dale Coyne: Wilson (?), Huertas (?)
Herta: Filippi (?)
Foyt: Sato (?), Hinchcliffe (?)
Rahal: Rahal (?)

For the Indy-500 we likely will see
Buddy Lazier (Lazier)
Bryan Clauson (Jonathan Byrd's/KVSH)
Jacques Villeneuve (Schmidt Peterson Hamilton)
Stefan Wilson (Fan Force United)
Matthew Brabham (Andretti)
JR Hildebrand (CHF)

So these are unknown questions:
- What will Ryan Briscoe do?
- What will Gabby Chaves do?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I hope Chaves and Karam are given their chance. Karam especially could be very helpful for domestic marketing - a very talented young American with potential to win a lot, and looking it Indycar's current nature, win a title. Surely he can get a full time seat.

[Paradise City]

Daniel Abt is up for that Andretti drive? Good going.

The Penske stuff will be very interesting. None of them are bringing cash, they are all mature drivers so they are all basically No.1's. That's somewhat unprecedented.

[NaBUru38]

James Davison is looking to race at the 500.

[NaBUru38]

"Justin Wilson is also a flagship member of Honda’s lineup, and it would behoove the manufacturer to ensure Wilson has a quality ride with either Andretti or SPM as his Coyne tenure could well be at an end.", says Tony DiZinno. "It’s just the items like this (Pagenaud and Newgarden in a cornfield, Pagenaud in an Acura commercial) that are being left behind."

[gomick]

Hinchcliffe signs with Schmidt for 3 years - sponsor?

[OVERSTEER]

Jack Hawksworth secures seat with AJ Foyt racing.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...-seat-for-2015

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Daniel Abt is eyeing an Indycar drive. Any news on Karam?

[10TENTHS]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Any news on Karam?

Still under contract to Ganassi as far as I know.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I swear Ganassi's "youth policy" isn't brilliant. Take Alex Lloyd as an example. He won Indy Lights, didn't do much with Ganassi, and then went to Coyne and scored a (shock) Indy 500 podium. He's nothing now, but he could've been something. I really hope Karam isn't the same, although he has more time on his side than Lloyd did iirc. Hopefully he'll get more runs next season. Imo Briscoe has had his day and we all know Kimball is a pay driver who puts in a few great drives per season. Karam beat Munoz in Lights and Munoz has looked promising at worst in that Andretti.

[10TENTHS]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I swear Ganassi's "youth policy" isn't brilliant. Take Alex Lloyd as an example. He won Indy Lights, didn't do much with Ganassi, and then went to Coyne and scored a (shock) Indy 500 podium.

That was merely bad timing for Lloyd. Dario was returning from Nascar and the economic crisis prevented the addition of a third car.

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I really hope Karam isn't the same, although he has more time on his side than Lloyd did iirc. Hopefully he'll get more runs next season.

I think the sponsor (NTT Data) had some influence on the pick of a veteran driver for the seat. Briscoe was a hotshot back in his European feeder series days (remember his drives in the 03 Euroseries?), another guy shut out of F1 due to financial reasons.

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Karam beat Munoz in Lights and Munoz has looked promising at worst in that Andretti.

Like JPM, I think Munoz benefited from the 500 mile double points in 2014, and with three teammates to share setup data, you get a leg up on the single car teams.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Oh, there's no doubting Munoz benefitted from the double points but still, some of his runs were fantastic. Obviously he learned from his teammates' set-ups though.

[Formulahistory]

That's what it looks like:

Will Power (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
Hélio Castroneves (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
Juan-Pablo Montoya (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
Simon Pagenaud (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
Scott Dixon (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet)
Tony Kanaan (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet)
Charlie Kimball (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet)
Sage Karam (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet) ?
James Hinchcliffe (Schmidt Peterson; Dallara Honda)
Davide Valsecchi (Schmidt Peterson; Dallara Honda) ?
Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti; Dallara Honda)
Carlos Muñoz (Andretti; Dallara Honda)
Marco Andretti (Andretti; Dallara Honda)
Sébastien Bourdais (KVSH; Dallara Chevrolet)
Justin Wilson (KVSH; Dallara Chevrolet) ?
Josef Newgarden (CFH; Dallara Chevrolet)
Ed Carpenter / JR Hildebrand (CFH; Dallara Chevrolet) ?
Alexander Rossi (Dale Coyne; Dallara Honda) ?
Rodolfo Gonzalez (Dale Coyne; Dallara Honda) ?
Gabby Chaves (Herta; Dallara Honda) ?
Takuma Sato (Foyt; Dallara Honda)
Jack Hawksworth (Foyt; Dallara Honda)
Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan; Dallara Honda)

[bjohnsonsmith]

Looks like there's been a bit of a Silly Season regarding team personel.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117279.

Got to feel sorry for Schmidt Peterson Motorsport.

[Formulahistory]

That's what the Indy-500 field will look like in my opinion:

1) Will Power (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
2) Hélio Castroneves (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
3) Juan-Pablo Montoya (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
4) Simon Pagenaud (Penske; Dallara Chevrolet)
5) Scott Dixon (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet)
6) Tony Kanaan (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet)
7) Charlie Kimball (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet)
8) Sage Karam (Ganassi; Dallara Chevrolet)?
9) James Hinchcliffe (Schmidt Peterson; Dallara Honda)
10) Davide Valsecchi (Schmidt Peterson; Dallara Honda)?
11) Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti; Dallara Honda)
12) Carlos Muñoz (Andretti; Dallara Honda)
13) Marco Andretti (Andretti; Dallara Honda)
14) Kyle Busch (Andretti; Dallara Honda)?
15) Zach Veach (Andretti; Dallara Honda)?
16) Sébastien Bourdais (KVSH; Dallara Chevrolet)
17) Justin Wilson (KVSH; Dallara Chevrolet)?
18) Bryan Clauson (Jonathan Byrd’s/KVSH; Dallara Chevrolet)
19) Josef Newgarden (CFH; Dallara Chevrolet)
20) Ed Carpenter (CFH; Dallara Chevrolet)
21) JR Hildebrand (CFH; Dallara Chevrolet)?
22) Alexander Rossi (Dale Coyne; Dallara Honda)?
23) Rodolfo Gonzalez (Dale Coyne; Dallara Honda)?
24) Pippa Mann (Dale Coyne; Dallara Honda)?
25) Gabby Chaves (Herta; Dallara Honda)?
26) Jay Howard (Herta; Dallara Honda)
27) Takuma Sato (Foyt; Dallara Honda)
28) Jack Hawksworth (Foyt; Dallara Honda)
29) Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan; Dallara Honda)
30) Conor Daly (Rahal Letterman Lanigan; Dallara Honda)?
31) Buddy Lazier (Lazier; Dallara Chevrolet)?
32) Stefan Wilson (Fan Force United; Dallara Honda)?
33) Ryan Briscoe (Dreyer-&-Reinbold; Dallara Chevrolet)?

[gaaaazFR]

Kevin Magnussen is saying he doesn't want to sit out racing during one year, and that Indycar is an option...

... seems logical he would end up in an Honda Team, and he maybe able to raise funding for one season.

Which team would you bet he'll drive for? Andretti? SPM? Or Maybe Rahal since the covered their car with the historic McLaren livery?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by gaaaazFR

Kevin Magnussen is saying he doesn't want to sit out racing during one year, and that Indycar is an option...

... seems logical he would end up in an Honda Team, and he maybe able to raise funding for one season.

Which team would you bet he'll drive for? Andretti? SPM? Or Maybe Rahal since the covered their car with the historic McLaren livery?

[NaBUru38]

KV is testing Saavedra and Coletti.

[Formulahistory]

and James Jakes...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

and James Jakes...

Apparently he's been testing at NOLA with SMP.

http://www.indycar.com/News/2015/02/...turn-to-series

[NaBUru38]

Scott Speed will be testing with Andretti. It's said that he, Zach Veach and Matt Brabham might share a fifth car.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Scott Speed will be testing with Andretti. It's said that he, Zach Veach and Matt Brabham might share a fifth car.

A fifth Andretti car? Is this for ovals, road/street or both?

[gaaaazFR]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Scott Speed will be testing with Andretti. It's said that he, Zach Veach and Matt Brabham might share a fifth car.

Strange to me that Veach and Brabham don't go for Indylight Andretti effort, that would make more sense at this point of their career

[gaaaazFR]

Quite a complete summary of how we're going into the silly season so far :

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/11...st#!16C_1257_1

---- CHEVY----
Penske Racing :
- Will Power
- Helio Castroneves
- JP Montoya
- Simon Pagenaud

Chip Ganassi Racing :
- Scott Dixon
- Tony Kanaan
- Charlie Kimball
- Sage Karam (TBC depending on budget)

CFH Racing :
- Joseph Newgarden
- Luca Filippi/ Ed Carpenter
- Jr Hildebrand (TBC Indy Only)

DRR :
- Oriol Servia/Ryan Briscoe (TBC Indy Only)

KV Racing :
- Sebastien Bourdais
- James Jakes/Sebastien Saavedra/Stephano Coletti (TBC budget depending)
- Bryan Clauson (Indy Only)
- James Davison/James Jakes (TBC Indy Only)

----HONDA----
Andretti Racing :
- Ryan Hunter Ray
- Marco Andretti
- Carlos Munoz
- Justin Wilson (TBC budget)
- Scott Speed /Simona DeSilvestro / Zack Veach / JE Vergne (TBC all part-time schedule)
(Magnussen & Brabham being linked to that drive)

AJ Foyt Racing :
- Takuma Sato
- Jack Hawksworth

Bryan Herta Autosport :
- Gabby Chaves
- Jay Howard (Indy Only)
- Oriol Servia/Ryan Briscoe (TBC Indy only)

Dale Coyne Racing :
- Alexander Rossi (TBC budget)
- Carlos Huertas/ anyone with $$ (TBC budget)
- Pipa Mann (TBC Indy only)

RLR :
- Graham Rahal

SPM :
- James Hinchcliffe
- Conor Daly/ De Silvestro /James Jakes /Kevin Magnussen (TBC depending on budget)


That makes us confirmed : 10 chevy 8 honda.
And potentially : 12 each full season. 16 Chevy for indy 19 Honda for Indy

I strongly doubt everything will happen like this, but the field is anyway getting strong again ;-)

[bjohnsonsmith]

Coletti's looking at a KVT drive.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117667