The seventh IndyCar Wrap-Up will look at Andretti Autosport. After an underwhelming 2020 season with five cars, Andretti Autosport was down to four cars after Marco Andretti stepped back from full-time competition. The season started with an early victory, but the results did not come with the same regularity as the organization would have hoped for. The 2021 season ended with better results than the year before, but it cannot be viewed as an overwhelming success.
 |
| Colton Herta was close to great in 2021, but the key word is close |
Colton Herta
Herta took on new colors and a new number in 2021, moving to the #26 Gainbridge Honda. He looked like a championship challenger after the opening races, but Herta fell in a rut during the month of May. There were plenty of strong runs that did not reap the reward they deserved. However, Herta ended the season on his highest possible note.
What objectively was his best race?
Herta won three races and he was the best driver in all of them. He led 97 of 100 laps from pole position at St. Petersburg and in the second victory he led 91 of 95 laps from pole position at Laguna Seca. He qualified 14th at Long Beach after topping the first two practice sessions, but he could not be slowed in the season finale. He passed cars with ease and it only took him 34 laps to take the lead. He led 43 of 85 laps, the most in the race, and closed the season with his third victory of the season.
What subjectively was his best race?
Herta won three races and he was the best driver in all of them. He led 97 of 100 laps from pole position at St. Petersburg and in the second victory he led 91 of 95 laps from pole position at Laguna Seca. He qualified 14th at Long Beach after topping the first two practice sessions, but he could not be slowed in the season finale. He passed cars with ease and it only took him 34 laps to take the lead. He led 43 of 85 laps, the most in the race, and closed the season with his third victory of the season.
What subjectively was his best race?
It is a tie between the final two races of the season. At Laguna Seca, he ran away from the field on a high degradation circuit when many drivers struggled with the balance of the race car.
Herta, on the other hand, was in a league of his own. He pulled away from everyone and never looked under duress. Álex Palou got close once Herta caught traffic, but Herta cleared it and Palou could not keep up. No one could. Not often in IndyCar do we see a leader make a green flag pit stop and come out with the lead. Herta did that at Laguna Seca. Sensational stuff.
At Long Beach, Herta was the fastest in the first two practice sessions and then the team made the unwise choice of trying to advance from the first round of qualifying without using the alternate tire. Mistake. He was seventh in his group, did not advance and had to start 14th.
Once the race started, Herta climbed the order very quickly and he was leading at lap 34. It wasn't the same drive away from the field like we saw at Laguna Seca but Herta's performance alone to get to the front is something you don't usually see. There are plenty of times a quick car does not get out of round one and, though it has been the fastest all weekend, it can only pull out an eighth or maybe get into the top five. Herta led 43 laps, over half the race from 14th on the grid, and he didn't get the lead because of a timely caution. He took the top spot for himself on the track.
What objectively was his worst race?
Herta had two finishes of 22nd in the first three races. The first was Barber when he was caught in the opening lap accident after Josef Newgarden spun. The other was when a wheel bearing failed in the first Texas race while Herta was in contention for a top five finish.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Herta had two finishes of 22nd in the first three races. The first was Barber when he was caught in the opening lap accident after Josef Newgarden spun. The other was when a wheel bearing failed in the first Texas race while Herta was in contention for a top five finish.
What subjectively was his worst race?
There are two races Herta should have won this year that completely got away from him.
Herta was brilliant at Nashville. He was the fastest car and I am not sure anyone would have caught him if it just ran like a normal race. Instead, over 41% of the laps were under caution and it allowed the field to be shaken up and Marcus Ericsson to lead late. Herta charged to the front making passes others could not have dreamt of trying and was on Ericsson's gearbox in the closing laps. Unfortunately, Herta overstepped the limit in turn nine late and slammed the barrier with six laps to go.
Two races later, Herta had led over 100 laps at Gateway and looked to be in control just before the final pit window was to open. A clean stop and Herta was going to be set to retain the lead and likely hold on for victory. This time the driveshaft broke and his race was over 75 laps early.
Colton Herta's 2021 Statistics
Championship Position: 5th (455 points)
Wins: 3
Podiums: 5
Top Fives: 7
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 382
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 6
Fast Twelves: 11
Average Start: 4.3571
Average Finish: 10.125
Championship Position: 5th (455 points)
Wins: 3
Podiums: 5
Top Fives: 7
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 382
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 6
Fast Twelves: 11
Average Start: 4.3571
Average Finish: 10.125
 |
| 2021 was not the rebound Alexander Rossi had hoped for |
Alexander Rossi
After going winless in 2020, Rossi hoped to return to his winning ways in 2021. However, Rossi proved to be inconsistent and could not get over that hump and return to IndyCar's leading group. There were good days, but Rossi wasn't even the best within the Andretti organization most days let alone the entire NTT IndyCar Series.
What objectively was his best race?
Rossi's best finish was second at Portland after being shuffled out of the top ten immediately because he did not make the first chicane at the start. The way the race played out with three-stop strategies holding the advantage. Rossi used it and climbed back to the front, getting back to where he started in second.
What subjectively was his best race?
Rossi's best finish was second at Portland after being shuffled out of the top ten immediately because he did not make the first chicane at the start. The way the race played out with three-stop strategies holding the advantage. Rossi used it and climbed back to the front, getting back to where he started in second.
What subjectively was his best race?
Oof... this is a little harder than you would think because while Rossi was good, he was really just good. He only led two laps all year and that was in the midst of the early pit cycle in the first Belle Isle race because nobody wanted to be on the alternate compound for long. He looked very competitive in that first Belle Isle race but the way the cautions fell did not allow Rossi to get back to the front and he had to settle for seventh.
Rossi also looked set for a podium at Mid-Ohio before a slow pit stop dropped him to fifth. Neither of those races sound great when figuring out what his subjectively best race was. I guess that makes it Portland.
What objectively was his worst race?
Rossi was 29th in the Indianapolis 500.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Rossi was 29th in the Indianapolis 500.
What subjectively was his worst race?
There were a lot of races that did not click for Rossi starting with Indianapolis.
Of all the races for Rossi to run out of fuel because the first caution of the race occurred at the worst possible time and then it required the car to be completely recycled before it could be restarted, it was Indianapolis. Once restarted, he had already fallen off the lead lap. Needing a caution to possibly be waved back onto the lead lap that caution never came. When a caution did fall, Scott Dixon got back on the lead lap. Rossi was stuck a lap down for the final 400 miles. We never got to see what he could really do.
But Indianapolis was just one of a handful of lost results for Rossi. Contact with Graham Rahal cost him a top five at St. Petersburg. He was caught in the start accident in the second Texas race. Patricio O'Ward hit him at Nashville, a race where Rossi was likely the second best car to Herta. He slapped the wall at Gateway after he got in the marbles when fighting for a podium position after his final pit stop. Then light contact with Herta spun Rossi off circuit at Laguna Seca. What went right for Rossi this season?
Alexander Rossi's 2021 Statistics
Championship Position: 10th (332 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 3
Top Tens: 9
Laps Led: 2
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 4
Fast Twelves: 10
Average Start: 7.1429
Average Finish: 12.313
Championship Position: 10th (332 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 3
Top Tens: 9
Laps Led: 2
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 4
Fast Twelves: 10
Average Start: 7.1429
Average Finish: 12.313
 |
| Ryan Hunter-Reay found rock-bottom |
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Andretti Autosport's most successful driver Hunter-Reay entered 2021 in the final year of his contract and off the back of two consecutive seasons without a victory. Needing results, Hunter-Reay had one of the toughest seasons of his IndyCar career.
What objectively was his best race?
Hunter-Reay was fourth at Nashville. He made his way into the top ten quickly and was one of the better cars in this race. Andretti Autosport had all four cars on point in Nashville and without cautions it could have put all four cars in the top five.
What subjectively was his best race?
Hunter-Reay was fourth at Nashville. He made his way into the top ten quickly and was one of the better cars in this race. Andretti Autosport had all four cars on point in Nashville and without cautions it could have put all four cars in the top five.
What subjectively was his best race?
It is also subjectively his worst race. It is the Indianapolis 500.
Hunter-Reay was in the top five late and he could have been a player at the end. He was hanging with Álex Palou, Hélio Castroneves and Patricio O'Ward when he locked up the tires entering pit lane for his final pit stop and it earned him a penalty. At that point in the season, Hunter-Reay had not experienced any success. In a sense, this mistake foreshadowed his entire season. It was really the only race it felt like he could have won.
What objectively was his worst race?
Twice Hunter-Reay finished 24th and both results were after first lap accident. The first was the first lap of the season at Barber when he was collected in the Josef Newgarden spin. The second was when he was clipped at the start of Mid-Ohio and wasted a top ten starting position.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Indianapolis is the worst. I am not saying he would have beat Palou and prevented Castroneves from getting his fourth victory, but we saw Hunter-Reay win an Indianapolis 500 late before. He had a chance to be in the top three or four of the Indianapolis 500 with fewer than 100 miles to go and in touching distance of the lead. That opportunity doesn't come around every year. At his age, it might have been the final time Hunter-Reay came that close to greatness.
Ryan Hunter-Reay's 2021 Statistics
Championship Position: 17th (256)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 3
Laps Led: 4
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 14.0
Average Finish: 15.313
Championship Position: 17th (256)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 3
Laps Led: 4
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 14.0
Average Finish: 15.313
 |
| It was not a kind year for James Hinchcliffe |
James Hinchcliffe
Hinchcliffe returned to full-time compeition after spending 2020 in a part-time role. It was also Hinchcliffe's first full season with Andretti Autosport since 2014. The Canadian's second stint with the team did not come close to matching the heights of his first go-round.
What objectively was his best race?
Hinchcliffe was third at Nashville after his teammate Herta slammed the barrier. It was a race where all the Andretti cars were sharp and for a moment it looked like Andretti Autosport was going to have a banner day, one that possibly could have matched its famous 1-2-3-4 result at St. Petersburg in 2005.
What subjectively was his best race?
Hinchcliffe was third at Nashville after his teammate Herta slammed the barrier. It was a race where all the Andretti cars were sharp and for a moment it looked like Andretti Autosport was going to have a banner day, one that possibly could have matched its famous 1-2-3-4 result at St. Petersburg in 2005.
What subjectively was his best race?
Nashville is Hinchcliffe's only good race. He wasn't close really anywhere else. He was solidly locked in the middle or rear of the field in every other race.
What objectively was his worst race?
Another Portland race saw Hinchcliffe taken out in the first turn chicane at the start. Three Portland starts, three opening laps accidents in turn one. This year, Hinchcliffe was classified in 27th.
Another Portland race saw Hinchcliffe taken out in the first turn chicane at the start. Three Portland starts, three opening laps accidents in turn one. This year, Hinchcliffe was classified in 27th.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Can we just say the entire season was horrible? There are no bright spots other than Nashville. There isn't even a race where he qualified fifth, spent much of the race in seventh and then dropped to 11th or 12th because he was on the worst tire compound in the final stint and just slid backward. He was never in that position at any point in 2021.
It was appallingly bad, a black eye to a career Hinchcliffe was hope to revive this season after being sidelined for majority of 2020 after unceremoniously losing his ride when McLaren took over Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Hinchcliffe made AMSP look justified for its unpopular decision. That is the last thing he wanted to do this year.
James Hinchcliffe's 2021 Statistics
Championship Position: 20th (220 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 1
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 5
Average Start: 15.214
Average Finish: 17.438
Championship Position: 20th (220 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 1
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 5
Average Start: 15.214
Average Finish: 17.438
An Early Look Ahead
Romain Grosjean replaces Hunter-Reay in the #28 DHL Honda. That is the storyline of the offseason.
Hunter-Reay had been with the team for over a decade. When Hunter-Reay joined Andretti Autosport, Grosjean was between Formula One stints and split 2010 driving in GP2 Series, Auto GP, the FIA GT1 World Championship and as Pirelli's Formula One test driver ahead of it returning to the series in 2011 with the Enstone-based Lotus F1 Team.
History aside, between Herta's success, Rossi's past and Grosjean's rookie season with Dale Coyne Racing, Andretti Autosport has to win more races and it needs a championship contender to the wire in 2022. Herta could have been in the title fight this year if it wasn't for accidents and mechanical issues. He lost a top five finish at Texas and likely victories if not at least podium finishes at Nashville and Gateway.
Herta is there, and he isn't going anywhere anytime soon as Andretti Autosport will not purchase Sauber's Formula One program. Grosjean has kinks to work out. The Frenchman did not have good days on street courses and he will be taking on ovals head-on next year. Rossi is confusing. Rossi might not have won in 2020, but he had four consecutive podium finishes prior to the season finale, a St. Petersburg race he dominated before he got into the barrier during the final pit cycle. We didn't see Rossi come that close in 2021.
As for the fourth car, it will likely be Devlin DeFrancesco, even though DeFrancesco was fifth in Indy Lights, did not win a race and only had two podium finishes. Meanwhile, Andretti's Indy Lights champion Kyle Kirkwood, who tied Greg Moore's record for most victories in an Indy Lights season, is not the front-runner for the IndyCar seat. Kirkwood has tested for the team and could get an opportunity in 2022, but Kirkwood is reportedly free to look for rides elsewhere next season.
When Herta joined the team, I wondered if Rossi's window had shut in becoming a champion with Andretti Autosport. Throw Grosjean into the equation and Rossi's job only becomes tougher. Three years ago, Rossi was destined to be champion. Now, he is clearly not the top driver in his own team.
There is pressure across the board for this team, Rossi might face the most. Herta will have his share, especially after how 2021 ended. Grosjean has eyes on him moving from one of IndyCar's minnows to one of the "Big Three."
All three drivers need to win next year. None of them can really afford a winless season. Grosjean will receive a little more forgiveness, but for Rossi and Herta there are no excuses. This is a pivotal point in Rossi's career. Herta could become one of IndyCar's youngest champions while he was just heavily linked to a sudden Formula One move. Results have to improve.
Next year marks ten years since Andretti Autosport's most recent championship with Hunter-Reay. Michael Andretti purchased majority stake of this team in 2003. The team won four championships in its first ten seasons. It never went longer than five years between championships before this stretch. If Andretti Autosport does not win the championship this year or does not have at least one driver with a respectable championship fight, I think we need to talk about downgrading Andretti Autosport and admitting IndyCar only has a "Big Two."
