Which makes me think it was Karmic hearing ‘Ol Billy
Preston’s Will it Go round in Circles song on my Oldies’ radio station the
morning before I began typing this…
Ah, I love the Universe of Synchronicity! Since
just a few Dazes’ after wrapping up my riveting No Fenders yarn with it’s
working title of Whither Palou? Naturally IndyStar’s Motorsports Beat reporter
Nathan Browne published His views upon the current IndyCar silly Season
landscape.
Obviously the two main protagonists and “Biggest”
names in this years participants are Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson, who are
both currently Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) drivers. Followed by a lesser extent
to Felix Rosenqvist and Romain Grosjean, with Callam Ilott waiting in the
wings.
Browne sheds a little more light upon Palou’s
situation. Which as Racer’s Marshall Pruett’s already stated, seemingly is a
game of “chicken” between a potential Formula 1 Back-marker seat or as
expected, driving the No. 6 Arrow McLaren next year.
As Browne notes that Palou has a “Get Out” option
with Mr. Zakery Brown to drive at Arrow McLaren if He lands a Formula 1 drive by
the end of July. Yet this is when F1 goes on it’s traditional summer break,
meaning the F1 teams usually don’t make any changes until during or following the
summer break…
Browne speculates that possibly four Formula 1
teams could be eyeing Palou, i.e.; Alfa Romeo, Haas, Scuderia AlphaTauri and
Williams. For which I’d guess only the latter two will be making driver changes
for next year.
And if scuttlebutt serves correctly, than
current Red Bull Junior Driver Liam Lawson is being lined-up as the struggling
AlphaTauri rookie Nyck de Vries’s replacement. And I cannot understand why
Palou would want to go to Williams? Since they’ve got years to go to become a
competitive Midfield F1 entity!
Marcus ericsson whose also out of contract at
year’s end, wishes to become one of IndyCar’s small cadre of Paid drivers
instead of continuing to bring a Budget to a team. And although Cheep’, aka
Chip Ganassi has been making All the right noises about wanting to keep Ericsson.
The Swede apparently vented His frustrations of their contract talks going
nowhere to Kevin Lee at Road America according to Browne. Which I’d Arse-sume
is part of the negotiation “process”. Which is odd since Ganassi stands to lose
two top IndyCar drivers simultaneously…
Browne also mentions how it was perceived that “Sparky!”
Aka Devln DeFrancesco was not expected to return to the No. 29 Andretti
Autosport ride next year,.
As this was before Mikey a’ and Co. announced that
indeed DeFrancesco’s two year tenure at Andretti Autosport would end at season’s
end…
Hence leaving at least one vacancy at Andretti.
Since Romain Grosjean’s stock seems to be steadily in Free Fall currently. Will
Mikey A’ be looking for two new drivers in 2024? Whilst I guess it’s a good
thing that Grosjean’s got a factory Lamborghini Sports Car drive already
secured for next year.
As Felix-the-Cat’ (Rosenqvist) certainly isn’t
a flashy driver, making me doubt He’ll return to CGR. But the Swede would
certainly be a good fit aboard Andretti’s No. 29 entry.
Whilst I think it’s also no secret that Helio
Castroneves is far beyond His prime and won’t return at Meyer Shank Racing (MSR)
for another full season drive next year. Which I’d tend to believe that current
MSR Sports Car Ace Tom “the Bomb” Blomquist will take over the #06 seat next
year? Or may be the #60 drive instead, with Simon Pagenaud taking over
Blomquist’s Sports Car drive? Meaning that MSR could have two vacancies?
And lastly Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s
Jack Harvey’s contract expires at season’s end. And did He do enough by bumping
out RLLR team leader Graham Rahal at Indianapolis to secure a contract
extension?
Tend to recall that Marshall Pruett noted awhile
ago that there’s possibly four or five Indy NXT drivers with large enough
budgets to graduate to IndyCar next year. With third year NXT driver Danial Frost’s
name coming to mind.
Whilst Nathan Browne pointed out how CGR
Development Driver Kyffin Simpson has family ties to the Ridgeline lubricants Oil
concern, current rotating sponsor of the No. 11 Ganassi entry. Making Simpson a
likely future IndyCar driver…
While Pruett also previously noted upon one of
His Podcasts. These well funded Indy NXT participants will make it tough for
the likes of Linus Lunqvist and Toby sowery to find IndyCar rides,
unfortunately! Unless one of the ten IndyCar teams is willing to take talent
over money? Ahem, Andretti!
While I’d like to believe that the current No.
11 Ganassi driver, rookie Marcus Armstrong will return for a full season IndyCar
campaign next year? Who’s reportedly got an Oval test lined up after this year’s
IndyCar season concludes…
Which just leaves me Ah-Wonderin’ where my
current Numero Tres IndyCar driver Callum Ilott will wind-up next season? As I’d
have to believe that Ilott’s ready to move onto something bigger ‘N better,
with no disrespect towards Juncos Hollinger Racing!
And those are just the drivers names that I
know about. Since will we continue seeing the influx of former FIA Formula 2
drivers migrate to Indy Cars? Or will their be a large intake of Indy NXT
drivers instead?
As that was before my current Numero Doce IndyCar Boy David Malukas made His announcement at Mid-Ohio that He Ain’t coming back to Dale Coyne Racing next year…
