Fabio Quartararo won the second round of the MotoGP season from Qatar ahead of the Pramac Ducatis of Johann Zarco and Jorge Martín. IndyCar tested at Texas and Texas is still not suitable for IndyCar because the PJ1 compound has taken the grip out of the surface. Maybe we don't put chemicals down on the ground? Just a thought. In other news, Scott McLaughlin will drive a yellow submarine. Kevin Magnussen turned down a ride with Toro Rosso a few years ago. LMP2 cars will be getting slower. NASCAR was able to get in its dirt race from Bristol. Here is a rundown of what got me thinking.
Let's Look at the League – 2021
A quick summary of the concept: The IndyCar grid is broken up into two leagues. The top league features 16 teams, split into two conferences of eight and each team meets the other seven in its conference twice over a 14-week season. The top four teams make the playoffs, taking place over the final three weeks to decide the champion.
The bottom league features eight teams, each team meets the other twice over a 14-week season and the top two teams are promoted while the bottom team from each conference in the upper league are relegated.
Head-to-head matchups add intrigue to a race as two drivers might be fighting for eighth on track, but it could actually be for a head-to-head victory. Those battles matter and they would be happening throughout the entire field.
What do the leagues look like?
Each team stands on its own, regardless of the driver. The #1 Penske entry defeated the #9 Ganassi entry in the final last year. They remain, as do the other semifinalists, the #10 Ganassi and #28 Andretti entries.
The #12 Penske and #18 Coyne entries were third in their respective conferences while the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan and #22 Penske entries were each fourth. The #30 RLLR entry and the #5 Arrow McLaren SP entry remain, as does the #7 AMSP and #27 Andretti. Seventh in each conference were the #55 Coyne and the #98 Andretti.
Top two in League Two were the #88 Andretti and the #21 Ed Carpenter Racing entries.
One problem ahead of 2021, the Andretti camp is completely mixed up. The #98 Andretti entry is no longer full-time. The #88 Andretti is technically the #29 Andretti and Colton Herta moves over to the #26 Andretti, which was due to stick in League Two.
I am making an executive decision. I am not keeping Colton Herta in League Two for another season when he won that championship. He moves up. The #98 Andretti entry will be the #29 Andretti this year. If you don't like it, too bad.
Each conference is set up via entrants' points from the previous season:
Conference One:
#9 Ganassi
#5 AMSP
#12 Penske
#22 Penske
#27 Andretti
#18 Coyne
#21 ECR
#29 Andretti
Conference Two:
#2 Penske
#26 Andretti
#15 RLLR
#30 RLLR
#28 Andretti
#10 Ganassi
#51 Coyne
#7 AMSP
On to League Two, the #20 ECR entry and the #14 Foyt entry were relegated. The #59 Carlin, #8 Ganassi, #60 Meyer Shank and #4 Foyt entries remain. The good news is we have the #3 Penske and #48 Ganassi entries joining the grid, and those bring League Two up to eight entries
League Two
#8 Ganassi
#60 MSR
#59 Carlin
#4 Foyt
#14 Foyt
#20 ECR
#3 Penske
#48 Ganassi
Schedule
Week 1 (BARBER):
#9 Ganassi vs. #29 Andretti
#5 AMSP vs. #21 ECR
#12 Penske vs. 18 Coyne
#22 Penske vs. #27 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #7 AMSP
#26 Andretti. vs. #51 Coyne
#15 RLLR vs. #10 Ganassi
#30 RLLR vs #28 Andretti
Week 2 (ST. PETERSBURG):
#9 Ganassi vs. #21 ECR
#5 AMSP vs. #29 Andretti
#12 Penske vs. #22 Penske
#27 Andretti vs. #18 Coyne
#2 Penske vs. #51 Coyne
#26 Andretti vs. #7 AMSP
#15 RLLR vs. #30 RLLR
#28 Andretti vs. #10 Ganassi
Week 3 (TEXAS):
#9 Ganassi vs. #18 Coyne
#5 AMSP vs. #22 Penske
#12 Penske vs. #29 Andretti
#27 Andretti vs. #21 ECR
#2 Penske vs. #10 Ganassi
#26 Andretti vs. #30 RLLR
#15 RLLR vs. #7 AMSP
#28 Andretti vs. #51 Coyne
Week 4 (TEXAS):
#9 Ganassi vs. #27 Andretti
#5 AMSP vs. #18 Coyne
#12 Penske vs. #21 ECR
#22 Penske vs #29 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #28 Andretti
#26 Andretti vs. #10 Ganassi
#15 RLLR vs. #51 Coyne
#30 RLLR vs. #7 AMSP
Week 5 (GPOI):
#9 Penske vs. #22 Penske
#5 AMSP vs. #12 Penske
#27 Andretti vs. #29 Andretti
#18 Coyne vs. #21 ECR
#2 Penske vs. #30 RLLR
#26 Andretti vs. #15 RLLR
#28 Andretti vs. #7 AMSP
#10 Ganassi vs. #51 Coyne
Week 6 (INDIANAPOLIS 500):
#9 Ganassi vs. #12 Penske
#5 AMSP vs. #27 Andretti
#22 Penske vs. #21 ECR
#18 Coyne vs. #29 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #15 RLLR
#26 Andretti vs. #28 Andretti
#30 RLLR vs. #51 Coyne
#10 Ganassi vs. #7 AMSP
Week 7 (BELLE ISLE):
#9 Ganassi vs. #5 AMSP
#12 Penske vs. #27 Andretti
#22 Penske vs. #18 Coyne
#21 ECR vs. #29 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #26 Andretti
#15 RLLR vs. #28 Andretti
#30 RLLR vs. #10 Ganassi
#51 Coyne vs. #7 AMSP
Week 8 (BELLE ISLE):
#9 Ganassi vs. #29 Andretti
#5 AMSP vs. #21 ECR
#12 Penske vs. 18 Coyne
#22 Penske vs. #27 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #7 AMSP
#26 Andretti. vs. #51 Coyne
#15 RLLR vs. #10 Ganassi
#30 RLLR vs #28 Andretti
Week 9 (ROAD AMERICA):
#9 Ganassi vs. #21 ECR
#5 AMSP vs. #29 Andretti
#12 Penske vs. #22 Penske
#27 Andretti vs. #18 Coyne
#2 Penske vs. #51 Coyne
#26 Andretti vs. #7 AMSP
#15 RLLR vs. #30 RLLR
#28 Andretti vs. #10 Ganassi
Week 10 (MID-OHIO):
#9 Ganassi vs. #18 Coyne
#5 AMSP vs. #22 Penske
#12 Penske vs. #29 Andretti
#27 Andretti vs. #21 ECR
#2 Penske vs. #10 Ganassi
#26 Andretti vs. #30 RLLR
#15 RLLR vs. #7 AMSP
#28 Andretti vs. #51 Coyne
Week 11 (TORONTO):
#9 Ganassi vs. #27 Andretti
#5 AMSP vs. #18 Coyne
#12 Penske vs. #21 ECR
#22 Penske vs #29 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #28 Andretti
#26 Andretti vs. #10 Ganassi
#15 RLLR vs. #51 Coyne
#30 RLLR vs. #7 AMSP
Week 12 (NASHVILLE):
#9 Penske vs. #22 Penske
#5 AMSP vs. #12 Penske
#27 Andretti vs. #29 Andretti
#18 Coyne vs. #21 ECR
#2 Penske vs. #30 RLLR
#26 Andretti vs. #15 RLLR
#28 Andretti vs. #7 AMSP
#10 Ganassi vs. #51 Coyne
Week 13 (IMS ROAD COURSE):
#9 Ganassi vs. #12 Penske
#5 AMSP vs. #27 Andretti
#22 Penske vs. #21 ECR
#18 Coyne vs. #29 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #15 RLLR
#26 Andretti vs. #28 Andretti
#30 RLLR vs. #51 Coyne
#10 Ganassi vs. #7 AMSP
Week 14 (GATEWAY):
#9 Ganassi vs. #5 AMSP
#12 Penske vs. #27 Andretti
#22 Penske vs. #18 Coyne
#21 ECR vs. #29 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #26 Andretti
#15 RLLR vs. #28 Andretti
#30 RLLR vs. #10 Ganassi
#51 Coyne vs. #7 AMSP
League Two
Week 1:
#8 Ganassi vs. #48 Ganassi
#60 MSR vs. #3 Penske
#59 Carlin vs. #20 ECR
#4 Foyt vs. #14 Foyt
Week 2:
#8 Ganassi vs. #3 Penske
#60 MSR vs. #48 Ganassi
#59 Carlin vs. #4 Foyt
#14 Foyt vs. #20 ECR
Week 3:
#8 Ganassi vs. #20 ECR
#60 MSR vs. #4 Foyt
#59 Carlin vs. #48 Ganassi
#14 Foyt vs. #3 Penske
Week 4:
#8 Ganassi vs. #14 Foyt
#60 MSR vs. #20 ECR
#59 Carlin vs. #3 Penske
#4 Foyt vs. #48 Ganassi
Week 5:
#8 Ganassi vs. #4 Foyt
#60 MSR vs. #59 Carlin
#14 Foyt vs. #48 Ganassi
#20 ECR vs. #3 Penske
Week 6:
#8 Ganassi vs. #59 Carlin
#60 MSR vs. #14 Foyt
#4 Foyt vs. #3 Penske
#20 ECR vs #48 Ganassi
Week 7:
#8 Ganassi vs. #60 MSR
#59 Carlin vs. #14 Foyt
#4 Foyt vs. #20 ECR
#3 Penske vs. #48 Ganassi
Week 8:
#8 Ganassi vs. #48 Ganassi
#60 MSR vs. #3 Penske
#59 Carlin vs. #20 ECR
#4 Foyt vs. #14 Foyt
Week 9:
#8 Ganassi vs. #3 Penske
#60 MSR vs. #48 Ganassi
#59 Carlin vs. #4 Foyt
#14 Foyt vs. #20 ECR
Week 10:
#8 Ganassi vs. #20 ECR
#60 MSR vs. #4 Foyt
#59 Carlin vs. #48 Ganassi
#14 Foyt vs. #3 Penske
Week 11:
#8 Ganassi vs. #14 Foyt
#60 MSR vs. #20 ECR
#59 Carlin vs. #3 Penske
#4 Foyt vs. #48 Ganassi
Week 12:
#8 Ganassi vs. #4 Foyt
#60 MSR vs. #59 Carlin
#14 Foyt vs. #48 Ganassi
#20 ECR vs. #3 Penske
Week 13:
#8 Ganassi vs. #59 Carlin
#60 MSR vs. #14 Foyt
#4 Foyt vs. #3 Penske
#20 ECR vs #48. Ganassi
Week 14:
#8 Ganassi vs. #60 MSR
#59 Carlin vs. #14 Foyt
#4 Foyt vs. #20 ECR
#3 Penske vs. #48 Ganassi
Something New
I wanted to try a few new things last year but with the pandemic, the changing schedule and generally uncertainty over the entire season, I held off on implementing those. However, I want to try them in 2021.
Fifth in each League One conference is guaranteed safety.
Sixth and seventh in each League One conference enter a relegation playoff. During week 15, sixth from Conference One faces seventh from Conference Two and vice versa and the winners from those match ups are guaranteed safety for the 2021 season. The losers face-off in week 16 and the winner that week is guaranteed safety.
In League Two, the third place team faces sixth place in week 15 and fourth place faces fifth place. The winners will advance to a matchup in week 16.
At week 17, we will have a playoff between the loser from week 16 in the League One relegation playoff against the winner from week 16 in the League Two promotion playoff. The winner in week 17 gets the final spot in League One for 2021.
It adds another level to the season and allows more meaningful matchups throughout the entire season.
A couple of thoughts
Conference One is stacked. It is shaped up to be Scott Dixon vs. Patricio O'Ward vs. Will Power vs. Simon Pagenaud vs. Alexander Rossi. One of those drivers will miss the playoffs.
The second conference is a little tame, but Felix Rosenqvist topped conference two last year in the #10 Ganassi entry. He went 12-2, the best regular season record. Don't rule him out.
League Two will have Scott McLaughlin, Jimmie Johnson, Sébastien Bourdais, Tony Kanaan, Marcus Ericsson and Jack Harvey all competing against one another. Some of those matchups are going to be as interesting as any of the League One matches.
Notable Matchups
Week one: Simon Pagenaud vs. Alexander Rossi. Both drivers need to get off to a good start. Rossi does not like Barber, and he went 5-9 last year.
Week two: Josef Newgarden vs. Romain Grosjean. Grosjean opens against Herta. Newgarden has won the last two years at St. Petersburg. Talk about a rude awakening in IndyCar for Grosjean to open against the drivers that were second and third in the championship last year.
Week three: Patricio O'Ward vs. Pagenaud. O'Ward has been one of the top cars in testing and he was quick at Texas. No one should be surprised if he picked up his first career victory early in the season.
Also, week three: Sébastien Bourdais vs. Scott McLaughlin. Bourdais is in his first "home" race for Foyt, and it will be McLaughlin's first oval start.
Week four: Scott Dixon vs. Rossi. Rossi very likely will be 2-1 entering this week while Dixon should be 3-0. Any slower of a start for Rossi than 2-1 sets this up to be a must-win. If both drivers are 3-0, then good for us
Week five: Dixon vs. Pagenaud. Need I say more?
Week six (Indianapolis 500): All of these matchups are great.
Dixon vs. Power.
O'Ward vs. Rossi.
Newgarden vs. Rahal.
Herta vs. Hunter-Reay
Palou vs. Rosenqvist.
Carpenter vs. Kanaan
Those are all in one week.
Week seven: The halfway point is when the top teams from the season before meet.
Dixon vs. O'Ward.
Power vs. Rossi.
Newgarden vs. Herta.
Ericsson vs. Harvey.
McLaughlin vs. Johnson.
Week eight: This is the start of the second meetings for every team. We get Pagenaud vs. Rossi again and Newgarden vs. Rosenqvist at Belle Isle, two capable drivers on street courses.
Week nine: Ericsson vs. McLaughlin. It could position one or the other as the favorite for a promotion spot.
Week ten: Herta vs. Sato. Herta won at Mid-Ohio last year. Sato historically does bad at Mid-Ohio.
Week 11: Dixon vs. Rossi again, but also Pagenaud vs. Hinchcliffe in Hinchcliffe's home race and Pagenaud is the most recent Toronto winner.
Week 12: Dixon vs. Pagenaud at Nashville, as well as O'Ward vs. Power. We also get Bourdais vs. Johnson.
Week 13: Another trip to the IMS road course and we get Dixon vs. Power and O'Ward vs. Rossi. These matchups will play into who makes the playoffs out of conference one.
Week 14: Last week of the regular season. All these matchups will matter, but Dixon vs. O'Ward after what we saw last year at Gateway? Power vs. Rossi? Newgarden vs. Herta? We could see Grosjean make his oval debut against Rosenqvist. It's not just playoff spots. Relegation is on the line. Fifth matters.
We also have promotion spots. Bourdais is set to take on the #59 Carlin. Who will drive that car on ovals? That could be for a promotion spot. Teams in league two are going to fight just to make the top six and have a glimmer of hope of promotion. McLaughlin will take on Kanaan!
Portland, Laguna Seca and Long Beach will comprise the playoffs.
We have no idea how this will play out. It is for fun. In year one, the #20 ECR entry made the final. Last year, the #10 Ganassi was the best over the regular season though we all know Rosenqvist wasn't lights out. The top teams will succeed and likely finish on top, but it all comes down to one result. Anything can happen in one race. Hopefully, we will see some more fun and some surprise outcomes.
Winners From the Weekend
You know about Fabio Quartararo, but did you know...
Sam Lowes won the Moto2 race from Qatar, his second consecutive victory of the season. Pedro Acosta won the Moto3 race, his first career victory.
Tomoki Nojiri won the Super Formula race from Fuji.
Scott McLaughlin won the final IndyCar iRacing event from Sebring
Coming Up This Weekend
Super GT begins its season at Okayama.
NASCAR has its first night race of the season from Martinsville.
Formula E has its second round of the season, a doubleheader in Rome.
Supercross visits Atlanta Motor Speedway for its first of three races.
Supercars heads to Symmons Plains.
