2023 IndyCar Team Preview: Meyer Shank Racing

Down to 45 days until the 2023 NTT IndyCar season opener and we come to a team whose driver lineup is approaching an average age of 45 years old. Meyer Shank Racing is still relatively new to IndyCar, but it has been around long enough and shown enough signs to expect big things from the organization. After slowly growing into IndyCar, 2023 will mark its second season as a multi-car team full-time. Year one with two cars left much room for growth, and in an ever increasingly competitive IndyCar, success is pivotal for this group. 

At First Glance... Meyer Shank Racing is one year away

In what was a season of expansion and excitement in taking the next step, MSR's 2022 season was rather a dud. One top five finish. One driver in the top fifteen in the championship. MSR rarely established itself at the front, and MSR could not become something greater despite having two of the most consistent drivers on the IndyCar grid. 

For 2023, there have been no changes in the driver lineup, and expectations should be set accordingly. Simon Pagenaud is still a good driver. Hélio Castroneves is in the final days of his career. Until another driver is paired with Pagenaud, MSR is going to be stuck in the middle of the field, and any hope of significant improvement will have to wait until 2024. 

The pieces are there for MSR to be a contender, but Castroneves' Indianapolis 500 victory two years ago was an aberration. He can still pull off a result like that at Indianapolis and hold his own on ovals, but after  four years away from full-time competition, IndyCar left Castroneves behind. Tied to the name and the history, MSR elevated Castroneves to a full-time driver, but that wasn't the right choice for constructing a dangerous two-car team. 

Pagenaud had a good start to 2022, ranked in the top ten of the championship through the second Iowa race, but he began to fade late in the season, and so did the entire team. MSR is set for a hungry young driver to prove himself. In a time when Dale Coyne Racing brought Álex Palou over from Super Formula, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing snagged Christian Lundgaard from Formula Two, and Juncos Hollinger Racing plucked Callum Ilott from across the pond, MSR should already have its young talent in the stable. The team is easily two years behind its contemporaries. 

MSR has the potential to replicate its sports car success. Pagenaud hasn't lost it. He is sneaky old though, as the Frenchman turns 39 years old this May, but he still has a few good seasons left in the bank. To maximize those years, he should have a teammate at least close to equal ability. One splash and MSR could be winning races. That doesn't feel likely in 2023. At St. Petersburg, this will be the oldest team on the grid. Change will be coming soon and it is paramount to get it right. 

This is going to be a lost season, and all eyes should be on 2024.

2022 Meyer Shank Racing Review

Wins: 0

Best Finish: 2nd (Grand Prix of Indianapolis)

Poles: 0

Best Start: 3rd (Belle Isle)

Championship Finishes: 15th (Simon Pagenaud), 18th (Hélio Castroneves)

Simon Pagenaud - #60 SiriusXM/AutoNation Honda

Numbers to Remember:

0: Laps led in 2022

4: Finishes outside the top 20 in the final seven races in 2022

8: Finishes outside the top 20 in Pagenaud's 192 starts prior to that stretch

What does a championship season look like for him?

Pagenaud starting out the year as one of the best qualifiers, making the Fast Six or at least challenging for it. He will go forward from those starting positions and find himself in the top five and finishing on the podium. The pit crew will be accountable and not cost him any positions. An early victory would go a long way, but more importantly he would need a strong Indianapolis 500, scoring qualifying point while at least finishing in the top ten, preferably in or close to the top five. 

As the second half of the season approaches, he would likely need another victory but continue regularly finishing in the top five. Iowa would have to be a flawless weekend. To close the season, a third victory in the final races would cement his grasp on the title and he would close with a few top five finishes. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

Top ten isn't out of the question, but it will be difficult. MSR has to only repeat what went well in 2022 and not have a handful of races where it is outside the top twenty and looks incapable of achieving more than that. I think a few of those dreadful days could linger, but not be as numerous as we saw at the end of last season. 

Pagenaud has the ability to finish on the podium. It comes down to the car he is provided. I think it is a stretch, but the team can find the pace to pull off multiple top five finishes. There are going to be good days where Pagenaud is in the top ten and feels inspired, but there will still be those weekends he is qualifying 15th and only getting to 11th or 12th. A year with a handful of top five finishes and eight to ten top ten finishes feels adequate. 

Hélio Castroneves - #06 SiriusXM/AutoNation Honda

Numbers to Remember:

17.176: Average finish in 2022, worst in a full season since his rookie season in 1998

8: Consecutive finishes outside the top ten

0: Top five finishes, the first time Castroneves did not have a top five finish in a full season

What does a championship season look like for him?

Castroneves finding the fountain of youth and winning his fifth Indianapolis 500. The Brazilian would have to rediscover his qualifying form that has seen him amass 50 pole positions already and start piling up pole positions from the first race of the season. From those pole positions, he would need to be living in the top five, almost mirroring Will Power's start to the 2022 season. 

An Indianapolis 500 victory would be the springboard to his season, and with his fast start, it could provide distance from the pack, allowing for an off day or two without those being detrimental to his campaign. Another victory would be critical, and it would come just when it appeared he was faltering. The second half would still see a consistent run of form, no bad days, not giving an inch to the competition. He would head into the finale needing only a top 12 finish to clinch the title and come home in eighth at Laguna Seca to take a long-awaited title.

What does a realistic season look like for him?

None of that. The fifth Indianapolis 500 is the most likely of those outcomes. Castroneves has something special at 16th & Georgetown, and as we have seen experience goes a long way at the 2.5-mile oval. He may be on the verge of 48 but the skill on that circuit has yet to fade.

It is everywhere else that is the problem and 2023 will probably look a lot like 2022. Mostly finishes outside the top ten, long days on the road and street courses and frequently being second in the MSR camp. There will be a few bright spots. He will turn in the occasional gem of a day taking a 19th starting position and turning it into a ninth or tenth through excellent strategy and smart decisions on track, but those days will be few and we will have to treasure them when they come. It could be worse than last year, as tough as that is to imagine. He should cling to the top twenty in the championship, but it could be closer than any of us would ever have imagined for Castroneves. 

The 2023 NTT IndyCar Series begins on Sunday March 5 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. NBC and Peacock will have coverage of the race.

2023 IndyCar Team Preview: Arrow McLaren

It is a double IndyCar team preview week. With 47 days until the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season takes the green flag on the streets of St. Petersburg, a team has a slightly modified look. It is just McLaren. No more SP. Arrow is still around, but no acronym is necessary. McLaren is here, and it is making its impression visible. There is much to say about its future, which may include a certain Spanish champion and will include Kyle Larson at the Indianapolis 500, but not until 2024, but McLaren is more than the future. It is a team ready for the present.

At First Glance... McLaren has what it takes to win the championship

Both McLaren drivers finished in the top ten of the championship last year and it has added another driver who was in the top ten. That doesn't sound spectacular, but after Patricio O'Ward was knocking on the door in 2020 and 2021, seeing the resurgence of Felix Rosenqvist last year and the history of Alexander Rossi, this three-headed monster should have one of its drivers making a serious push for the championship. 

O'Ward went into the final race of the 2021 season with a shot at the title but fell short. The Mexican driver has been a force since he arrived in IndyCar. Each year he has been pushing to win races and he has performed a few marvelous drives. Everyone expects a championship in his future and he is more than capable of pulling one off now. 

The rocky career of Felix Rosenqvist found new life in 2022 after it appeared he was set to be booted out the door. O'Ward got the better of the intra-team battle, but Rosenqvist kept O'Ward honest every step of the way. After a few seasons of searching, McLaren finally has a one-two punch in IndyCar. The Swede performed to a suitable level, keeping the rest of the field on its toes with his pace. 

Add to the equation Alexander Rossi and McLaren has strengthened its outfit with three hungry drivers capable for winning. For Rossi, this move is a turning a new page in IndyCar. After seven seasons with Andretti Autosport, an Indianapolis 500 victory and a few close calls at a championship, Rossi is making this move with his focus on the title. He said so himself. This move was about winning a championship, and in Rossi's eyes McLaren provided the best opportunity for the Californian's quest. 

In this IndyCar series, there has not been a non-Penske/Ganassi/Andretti champion since Panther Racing in 2002. This McLaren trio provides the best threat to end that streak in a long time. Everything is combining at the right time for it to happen. These three drivers are at the top of their game. McLaren is more than ready for the championship fight. It can hold its own against Penske and Ganassi, and it is arguably already ahead of Andretti. McLaren is prepared to go on a run. If it does it, no one should be surprised, and the championship will likely be going to the team in papaya. 

2022 Arrow McLaren SP Review

Wins: 2 (Barber, Iowa II)

Poles: 2 (Mid-Ohio, July IMS road course race)

Championship Finishes: 7th (Patricio O'Ward), 8th (Felix Rosenqvist)

Patricio O'Ward - #5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

162.333: Average number of laps led when competing as a full-time driver

4.333: Average number of podium finishes when competing as a full-time driver

7.667: Average number of top five finishes when competing as a full-time driver

What does a championship season look like for him?

Limiting those rough patches that always come up in his season where O'Ward has two or three consecutive races finishing 14th and 18th before getting back to the top five. Those really need to be eliminated, but he could survive with one of those in a season. A championship season would look like the best parts of this first three full-time seasons in IndyCar. 

It starts strong and O'Ward is on the podium early and at least in the top five. An early victory would give him a good boost. Instead of coming up short in the Indianapolis 500, O'Ward holds on in the closing stages and picks up a popular victory that could shake IndyCar's popularity. Off the momentum of a triumph in Indianapolis, he would become the first driver to win the race after the Indianapolis 500 since Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000. 

At that point, the championship is his. He will face a few counterattacks, but remain steady. Another victory would come in the final quarter of the season to firm up his championship. With a few other results going his way, he could claim the championship in Portland and make Laguna Seca a dead rubber.

What does a realistic season look like for him?

A championship is possible, but it will likely not be a runaway for O'Ward. He will probably win two or three times, a victory total champions normally end up with. He will have five to eight podium finishes, again in champion's territory. A vast majority of the races will be top ten results. It will all come down to if someone else is just a little bit better or if O'Ward is hitting the high end of all those categories. 

He could have a rough patch in the middle of the season and lose ground in the title. In 2021, O'Ward was leading the championship entering Portland and the final three races before one average day flipped the championship and gave control back to Álex Palou. Championships are occasionally decided on how high a driver's lowest day is. If O'Ward can prevent those days at the bottom of the order, a championship is within his reach.

Felix Rosenqvist - #6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

10.705: Average finish over 17 starts in the 2019 season

14.3214: Average finish over 28 starts between the 2020 and 2021 seasons

11.765: Average finish over 17 starts in the 2022 season

What does a championship season look like for him?

Winning the opening race of the season and setting the tone that he is the McLaren driver to beat. From there, he wins at Long Beach, two wins in the first three races and he has everyone's attention. Then he makes it two Swedish winners in as many years in the Indianapolis 500 and at that point we know the championship is firmly in his control. Just to boot, Rosenqvist wins in Detroit, has four victories in the first seven races and they can already start printing the championship merchandise. 

The summer is a little more average, but just when you think the door could be opening, he wins at Nashville while a bunch of other title rivals stumble and that kind of ends the season right there. Good days in the next three races clinch the title early and we are all wondering how the hell Felix Rosenqvist stomped the field. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

Repeating 2022 would not be a bad result for Rosenqvist, but that could leave him third of the McLaren drivers and put him in the crosshairs for a harsh dismissal as McLaren has its sights set on other drivers for its IndyCar program. 

After his first four seasons in IndyCar, it is tough to pin down what Felix Rosenqvist we will get. Do we get the smooth driver that is great on worn tires and rough surfaces with constant top ten results or do we get the frazzled competitor that has good qualifying runs wasted and leave us scratching our heads? 

Victory is not unthinkable, but you wouldn't put your house on it. A championship run could happen, but would require an unlikely set of events happening to put him in that spot. You cannot rule out the very best for him, but you also cannot dismiss the very worst. Anywhere from sixth to 16th in the championship has an equal shot of happening. 

Alexander Rossi - #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

1: Top five finish in the last 18 oval races

16.1667: Average finish in the last 18 oval races

7.473: Average finish in Rossi's first 19 oval starts

What does a championship season look like for him?

Like Rosenqvist's best case scenario, Rossi comes out of the gates and immediately shows he is the best driver at McLaren. It would almost feel like Josef Newgarden's 2017 season, Newgarden's first with Penske and the one where Newgarden pulled out his first championship. An early victory sets the tone for the year. Rossi is near spotless in the first quarter of the season with at least one victory and, after a few close calls, 2023 is the year of his second Indianapolis 500 victory. 

Focused and with a healthy cushion in the championship late, Rossi drives the rest of the season methodically, not overstepping the limit, but making calculated decisions. The team doesn't make any mistakes on set up. The car is always to his liking, which is putting him in top five positions. When the opportunity is on for a race victory, he takes it and closes out at least two more times over the summer. Incidents are avoided and there are at least two or three races where we see Rossi skip through an accident or hang back when things are going wrong. This allows him to maximize points. 

In the final races, Rossi is hitting his marks and not fighting from behind. He heads home to Laguna Seca only needing a tenth-place finish to lock up the title and finishes the year in his best form, qualifies in the top three and spends much of the race in a podium position, unlikely to fall much further than that and for the final 45 laps we know what is coming and it is Rossi lifting the Astor Cup to close the season. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

I think we are going to see an Alexander Rossi that has been hidden for much of the previous three seasons. This will be a year of peak Rossi. The best of 2018 and 2019 coming back to life. But he will still have a tough foe within the organization. There will be races where the toughest hurdle in Rossi's way will be Patricio O'Ward and the toughest hurdle in O'Ward's way is Alexander Rossi. McLaren will love it, but the drivers will get frustrated. 

They will take points off of each other, all three McLaren drivers will take points from one another at some point this season. There could be a race where things boil over and, with this being a new group, a race is lost because somebody does not give an inch and the organization loses out. We could be hearing about a midseason drivers' meeting because too many points are slipping away. These are three brash drivers. They want to win, and they want to win now. They cannot all be champion this year. 

McLaren should push to have two drivers in the championship top five. Rossi should be one of those drivers going for it. 

The 2023 NTT IndyCar Series begins on Sunday March 5 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. NBC and Peacock will have coverage of the race.

Musings From the Weekend: Larson's Long-Awaited Indianapolis 500 Attempt

Endurance racing is back. Formula E opened its season in Mexico, and Andretti Autosport might be proving it is more than capable to operate a Formula One team after it won the season opener with Jake Dennis. The Dakar Rally concluded. Weather forced the postponement of the Supercross round in Oakland until February 18. Cyril Abiteboul became Hyundai Motorsport's new team principal for its rally program. Kevin Magnussen needs surgery. Jimmie Johnson has a new number and announced a new team name. The FIA World Endurance Championship has an impressive entire list. Turner Motorsport will toss a BMW into the GTD Pro battle royale at the 24 Hours of Daytona. The Chili Bowl happened, and even without Kyle Larson there, Larson wound up being the story of the week. Here is a rundown of what got me thinking. 

Larson's Long-Awaited Indianapolis 500 Attempt

A common wish among racing fans in recent seasons was Kyle Larson making an attempt at the Indianapolis 500, and last week that wish came true, or at least it was scheduled to come true, as Larson announced an entry for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 in partnership with McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports. 

Patience will be necessary, but it is in the cards and we have something to look forward to in 2024, along with the introduction of a hybrid system. 

A year is a long time to wait. It feels like this program could run in 2023, announced four months prior to the start of practice for this year's event, but 16 months should be plenty of time to prepare for this anticipated entry. It is hard to argue Larson is doing this wrong when he is giving himself so much time to prepare. 

The exact details of what happens over the next year and a quarter will become clear over the next few months. It will be quiet for the next few months. This spring will see Larson focused on his NASCAR responsibilities while Tony Kanaan will be the fourth McLaren driver this year for Indianapolis joining full-timers Patricio O'Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi. 

If this program is as intense as it is being sold as, I would expect Larson to spend at least one practice day, if not two, at the track this May embedded in the McLaren camp, sitting in on team meetings and wearing a headset when cars are on track. He may even show up whenever the pre-Indianapolis 500 test takes place and take it in from a pit stand.

From the sounds of it, this isn't going to be more than an Indianapolis 500 attempt. Larson isn't going to run an oval race in 2023 to get a taste of IndyCar before heading to Indianapolis next year. His first time will likely be in IndyCar's offseason. Timing could depend on how Larson's NASCAR season goes. A deep championship run could mean his first time in an IndyCar will not be until closer to Thanksgiving. A poor NASCAR season may mean seat time prior to Halloween. Larson still has a day job. As eager as everyone is for this Indianapolis entry, it will take a backseat in most scenarios, at least until May 2024. 

Preparations will accelerate in 12 months. Come January 2024, we will know what the NASCAR and IndyCar schedules will look like, possibly when test sessions will be held, and Larson's schedule will take form. He will likely participate in a preseason test and if there is an Indianapolis test session prior to May. It is unlikely Larson would compete in a race. Texas is currently the only oval prior to Indianapolis, but it conflicts with a Cup race at Richmond in 2023. Events could move around. Accommodations could be made, and who knows? Maybe there will be a second oval prior to May. 

We will hear about simulator time and footage studied ad nauseam over the next eight or nine months. It will sound like nothing is happening, but plenty is going on out of public view. 

Ever since he was tearing up USAC, Larson has been a dream Indianapolis 500 entrant, though USAC hasn't been the talent pipeline to the 2.5-mile oval for over 40 years. The scholarship that saw Bryan Clauson get his first taste at Indianapolis, and turned Clauson into a regular one-off for a few seasons, sparked hope that Larson could follow down that path. 

The scholarship never went to anyone other than Clauson, and Larson turned his attention to NASCAR, but a decade after Larson emerged as the next great thing, with a NASCAR Cup championship already claimed along with a Knoxville Nationals victory, a Kings Royal, a pair of Chili Bowl victories, a treble of Turkey Night Grand Prix triumphs and even a 24 Hours of Daytona victory, he will head to the Indianapolis 500 more than ready for the challenge. 

Larson is not making this attempt to check off a box. When it occurs, he will be 31 years, nearly five years younger than Kurt Busch when Busch made his Double attempt in 2014. Robby Gordon did the Double five times, his first time was at age 28. His second was at 31 and then he made three consecutive runs from 2002 to 2004. Gordon was 35 when he made his final attempt. With Larson's regular racing regimen, he could have at least five cracks at it, possibly more. He could have an entire decade of Double attempts. 

The Double has been a once-a-decade thing for a reason though. It is not convenient running two races at two tracks nearly 600 miles apart for a total of 1,100 miles of race action. One rainstorm and your day becomes a nightmare. And that is just assuming you get to race day. A driver needs to make the finances work out first before attempting such a challenge. 

One attempt is in Larson's future. It is arguably the best Double attempt ever put together. In 2001, Tony Stewart completed 1,100 miles driving to a sixth in Indianapolis for Chip Ganassi Racing and a third in Charlotte for Joe Gibbs Racing, but Ganassi was only an Indianapolis one-off at that time, stepping over the line from CART to the IRL. In 2024, Larson will join what is at least a three-car McLaren team that is two years removed from having two of the top four finishers, and Larson will still be driving for the most successful team in NASCAR Cup Series history in Hendrick. 

Winning both is difficult to fathom. Winning Indianapolis alone would create logistical hangups that would make arriving to Charlotte on time for the green flag almost unthinkable let alone winning the 600-mile nightcap. But completing 1,100 miles? If any driver in the world could become the second to accomplish it, Larson is the man. 

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Jake Dennis, but did you know...

Dakar Rally Winners

Bikes: Kevin Benavides came back from 12 seconds down entering the final stage to win the bike class by 43 seconds over Toby Price. American Skyler Howes was third in class, five minutes and four seconds back. This was Benavides' second Dakar victory in three years.

Quads: Alexandre Giroud won in the quad class for the second consecutive year by 43 minutes and 11 seconds over Francisco Moreno. American Pablo Copetti was third, nearly an hour and 53 minutes behind Giroud. 

Cars: Nasser Al-Attiyah won the car class for the five time and in the second consecutive year, finishing one hour, 20 minutes and 49 seconds clear of Sébastien Loeb, who won seven of 14 stages this year. Brazilian Lucas Moraes was third, over an hour and 38 minutes behind Al-Attiyah.

Light Prototypes: American Austin Jones led an American 1-2, finishing 52 minutes and five seconds ahead of Seth Quintero. This is the second consecutive year Jones won a Dakar class. He won in SSV last year. Guillaume De Mévius was third in light prototypes, over an hour and 35 minutes back.

SSV: Eryk Goczał overcame a three-minute and 24-second deficit entering the final stage to win the SSV class by 16 minutes and 44 seconds over Rokas Baciuškas, who had led after the prior seven stages. Mark Goczał was 18 minutes and 15 seconds behind his brother in third.

Trucks: Janus van Kasteren won the truck class by over an hour and 14 minutes to Martin Macík in second. Martin van den Brink made it two Dutch drivers on the podium in third.

Logan Seavey won the 37th Chili Bowl.

The #7 Team WRT BMW of Dries Vanthoor, Jens Klingman, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, Diego Menchaca and Mohammed Saud Fahad Al Saud won the 18th Dubai 24 Hour.

Callum Hedge, James Penrose and David Morales split the Formula Regional Oceania races from Highlights Motorpsports Park

Coming Up This Weekend

Supercross returns to competition in San Diego.

The World Rally Championship season begins with Rallye Monte-Carlo.

IMSA has its Roar Before the 24 test. 

Formula Regional Oceania will be at Teretonga Park.

2023 IndyCar Team Preview: Andretti Autosport

There are now 51 days until the NTT IndyCar Series season opener from St. Petersburg, and Andretti Autosport will be looking for an improvement. It has been ten seasons since Andretti Autosport's most recent championship. Its best driver in the 2022 championship was ninth. The team won twice, both on the same circuit. It hasn't won on a oval in over four years.

Once considered one of IndyCar's best three teams, Andretti Autosport looks like just another IndyCar team and doesn't necessarily appear close to returning to the top of the IndyCar mountain. For 2023, three drivers are returning to the Andretti lineup while a sophomore shuffles into the quartet. It will be one of the team's most inexperienced lineups entering an IndyCar season. 

At First Glance... It is difficult to fathom how Andretti Autosport is this uncompetitive but the expectation remain high

When combining an Indianapolis 500 winner and driver who had twice nearly been champion, a driver with six career victories before his 50th career start and a sophomore who had three podium finishes as a rookie joining a championship-winning organization, you would expect it to be one of the most dangerous trios in IndyCar. That was not the case for Andretti Autosport in 2022.

The Alexander Rossi/Colton Herta/Romain Grosjean combination did not take the series by storm, and what could have been a forceful grouping for seasons to come splintered after year one, leaving Herta and Grosjean as Andretti's leading duo. 

It should be much better for Andretti but the team cannot remain on course, both literally and figuratively. It coughed up more races than it won in 2022 and that has been a common theme over the last few seasons. The team won two races last year. The year before that it was Herta carrying the entire organization. In 2020, the team had one victory. 

This is a shell of a championship contender. Herta is responsible for five of Andretti's six victories since the start of 2020. This team used to be three drivers deep and regularly producing a title challenger. Now it is over a decade removed for its last title and it does not look any closer entering the 2023 season than it was when 2022 ended.

Rossi was the best driver in the team last year and ninth in the championship. Herta clung to tenth for his life. Grosjean was fractionally better as a full-time driver than he was running only the road and street courses until sampling Gateway with Dale Coyne Racing in 2021. This is a team that has lost its way, but it is difficult to fathom it will be better. 

On the verge of turning 23 years old, Herta is now expected to be the leader of a team with a driver entering his third IndyCar season and two sophomore drivers who have a combined one top ten finish in their careers. To be fair, Herta has done everything asked of him, but some times he does it with too much weight on his shoulders. He has won in every one of his full-time seasons. He has never finished outside the top ten in the championship. He really needs a team that can support his abilities.

Andretti's greatest sin entering 2023 is it doesn't feel like enough changes have been made to make sure the team is moving in the right direction. Strategy choices cost the team. The team has devolved from oval masters dominating the field to dogs chasing their own tails. When things went wrong for the team it went wrong for all of its entrants. That should not be as frequent as it was for a team of Andretti's magnitude. 

On the surface, it is a championship team. It is a winning team. It is a threat at the Indianapolis 500. It is one of IndyCar's "Big Three." But Andretti Autosport doesn't fit that mold entering 2023. We shouldn't expect more than average out of this group, even if all the pieces tell us otherwise. 

2022 Andretti Autosport Review

Wins: 2 (Grand Prix of Indianapolis, July IMS road course race)

Poles: 3 (Long Beach, Road America, Toronto)

Championship Finishes: 9th (Alexander Rossi), 10th (Colton Herta), 13th (Romain Grosjean), 23rd (Devlin DeFrancesco)

Colton Herta - #26 Gainbridge Honda

Numbers to Remember:

17.8: Average finish in oval races in 2022

1: Top ten finish in the last nine oval races

18.4: Average finish in races following a top five finish in 2022

What does a championship season look like for him?

All the best parts of Colton Herta congealing into what is otherwise a perfect season. It starts with the oval form being respectable, getting the car to the finish and finishing every time in the top ten, mostly in the top five and finally have a good day in the Indianapolis 500. 

On top of his best oval season ever, Herta's blistering street course pace remains and is flawless. Top five starting positions in every street course race leading to regularly street course podium finishes. That pace also carries over to the road courses, and Herta is always making the final round of qualifying and in position for a stellar result. 

Herta would likely need a career best in victories, probably at least four, with somewhere between eight and ten podium finishes, and he could not afford more than two finishes outside the top ten. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

This championship season is realistic for Herta. It is a dream, but one that is achievable. But history suggests there will be a handful of races where it doesn't work out either because Herta overdrives the car, which could put him in the barrier, or the team gets the strategy wrong, costing him handfuls of positions. A driver can still be champion with those performances, but they must be limited. 

Top ten is the minimum. Herta can pull out a top five championship run, but it must come off the back of regular top five finishes. A championship would mean winning at a greater rate than he has achieved in his IndyCar career. A victory or two will not be enough. 

Kyle Kirkwood - #27 AutoNation Honda

Numbers to Remember:

14: Consecutive starts without a top ten finish entering 2023

14: Races ranked outside the top 20 in the championship in 2022, including after the final eight races

1: Lead lap finish in the final nine races of the 2022 season

What does a championship season look like for him?

Repeating his Road to Indy form. Stunning pace in qualifying, maintaining it through races and being untouchable over 17 events. All the good stuff Kirkwwod did in 2022 must be multiplied by about 30 and all the bad stuff he did erased from the record. There cannot be one mistake, no off-road excursions, no stepping over the limit while running competitively. 

Kirkwood would be leading the way for Andretti Autosport, but likely have at least Herta on his heels. The two would combine to give Andretti Autosport the most victories in the 2023 season, both would likely have a shot at the title entering the finale, but Kirkwood would carry the advantage, likely off the back of a Mid-Ohio triumph which coincided with one of Herta's few bad days, but just enough to give Kirkwood the edge and enough to hold on through Laguna Seca. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

Better than 2022, but after all the struggles Kirkwood went through, it is difficult to project how much higher he could go. Ahead of the 2022 season, everyone would have pegged Kirkwood to knock down some doors driving for Andretti Autosport. After a woeful year at A.J. Foyt Racing, we are trying to figure who Kirkwood is as a driver. 

Part of the issues was Kirkwood's own aggression. He must rein in his talent. Too many times he threw away races. Hopefully, he has a handle on that in 2023, but I still expect a few races to get away from him. There will be weekends he is in new positions fighting with drivers he didn't know were on the same track as him the year before. That could spook him. That could lead to mistakes. The top fifteen in the championship is the bare minimum with semi-regular top ten finishes and a few top five results. 

Romain Grosjean - #28 DHL Honda

Numbers to Remember:

9: Races without a top five finish to close the 2022 season

2: Races was the longest top five finish drought for Grosjean in the 2021 season driving for Dale Cyne Racing

3: Laps led in 2022

6: Drivers to run at least 70% of the races in 2022 and lead fewer laps than Grosjean (Christian Lundgaard, Hélio Castroneves, Devlin DeFrancesco, Dalton Kellett, Jack Harvey, Simon Pagenaud)

What does a championship season look like for him?

Two victories on the IMS road course, another victory on a street course and significantly improved street course and oval results that see him competing for the best in the Andretti team each time out. There would not be any slumps stretching on for two or three or four races at a time. If there is a bad day, Grosjean immediately responses and has five better finishes to counterbalance the poor result. 

A championship for Grosjean would mean he is the clear leader in the team. He would be the team leader in qualifying. He would be the team leader in races. The laps led total would exceed 200, maybe even push 300. The Frenchman would be one of the leaders if not the leader in podium finishes. Every race he would be in the mix and he would be mentioned on nearly every broadcast. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

At least taking Alexander Rossi's spot as Andretti Autosport's second driver in the top ten of the championship. He should have more than three top five finishes and he should have a few in the second half of the season. There could still be difficult days, but not for months at a time. 

There wasn't really a race in 2022 where it felt Grosjean should win. He was close at Long Beach, but he really shouldn't have won that one. He should have won the 2021 Grand Prix of Indianapolis. We know Grosjean can hold his own in IndyCar. There is bound to be a race where Grosjean nails it, is one of the quickest through every session and it turns into a triumphant trip to the top step of the podium. He can win, but piecing together 17 races for a championship still feels like a stretch. Somewhere in the top ten, maybe even breathing down Herta's neck is more likely. 

Devlin DeFrancesco - #29 PowerTap Hydrogen Honda

Numbers to Remember:

0: Top ten finishes in 2022

0: Top fifteen finishes in the first 11 races of the 2022 season

3: Top fifteen finishes in the final six races of the 2022 season

0: Times as the top rookie finisher in 2022

What does a championship season look like for him?

A complete reverse of 2022. Instead of starting the season with three consecutive finishes outside the top twenty, 14 consecutive finishes outside the top fifteen and his best finish all season being 12th, it begins with three consecutive podium finishes, 14 consecutive top ten results and his worst finish being 12th. DeFrancesco would be the top Andretti finisher and qualifier at Indianapolis. He would sweep the Iowa doubleheader and win at Toronto for good measure. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

Marginally better than 2022. DeFrancesco wasn't horrendous last season, but let's not mistake his season for something that needs maturing into beauty. He was the fourth Andretti driver by some distance last year and Andretti Autosport wasn't particularly brilliant. 

But DeFrancesco took steps over his rookie season. He can continuing taking steps forward and have better days, but those don't necessarily mean he will be living in the top ten and leading the charge for Andretti Autosport. He can step into the top twenty in the championship and do it with a few top ten finishes, but not much more than that.  

The 2023 NTT IndyCar Series begins on Sunday March 5 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. NBC and Peacock will have coverage of the race.

2023 Formula E Season Preview

Formula E returns to competition this weekend for its ninth season, and the ninth season sees another significant shift for the series. 

The third generation Formula E car will make its debut and it is set to be the fastest Formula E car to date. Developments to the car means we will see pit stops include a recharging element for the first time in series history. 

Along with the new car, there are new teams with new manufacturer entering the series. Though there are new teams, teams have also exited the series, most notably, Mercedes will not be on the grid after spending three seasons in Formula E and sweep the drivers' and constructors' championship in each of the previous two seasons. Longtime frontrunner Techeetah has also left the series. 

With the revolving doors of teams, this means there has also been quite a bit of movement among the drivers, with some taking seats with new organizations with a few new faces joining the picture altogether. 

Schedule

This year's Formula E calendar consists of 16 races spread over 11 weekends with four new venues listed. 

It all begins on January 14 in Mexico City for the seventh visit to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Two weeks later is the first of five doubleheader weekends, this one taking place in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia with races scheduled for Friday January 27 and Saturday January 28. 

Two weeks later is the first of three consecutive new venues, and not only are these new venues but new countries. On February 11, Hyderabad hosts Formula E for the first time. Two weeks later, Formula E makes its first trip to South Africa and Cape Town. One month later, São Paulo hosts Formula E for the first time and Formula E returns to South America for the first time since January 2020.

After a month off, the first European round will be in Berlin, and the Tempelhof Airport will host a doubleheader over the weekend of April 22 and 23. Two weeks later, Monaco will host Formula E for the third consecutive season. 

After another month off, Formula E will be back in Jakarta and it will be a doubleheader over the weekend of June 3 and 4. Just under three weeks later, Formula E will visit a new American venue, as Portland, Oregon will host the all-electric series on June 24. 

The season ends with a pair of European doubleheaders. First it will be Rome over the weekend of July 15-16. London will host the season finale with the final races taking place on July 29 and 30.

Race Format Changes

With the third generation of Formula E car making its debut, we will see a different race format. Races will return to being a set number of laps instead of being timed, but safety cars and full course cautions will still increase the number of laps if necessary. 

Also, during the course of this season, fast recharging will be tested and each driver will be require to make a pit stop during these races.

Teams:

DS Penske

Stoffel Vandoorne: #1 DS E-TENSE FE23
What did he do last season: Vandoorne captured the Formula E championship driving for Mercedes with only one victory at Monaco, but the Belgian had eight podium finishes and 13 top five finishes. He finished with 213 points to his name.

What to expect in this season: Switching teams does not appear to have slowed DS, as the DS Penske cars went second and third in Valencia testing. DS Techeetah was annually a threat, though the last few seasons fell short. Vandoorne will put up a good title defense. He could match his podium finishes and he could win more. Repeating is difficult to do, but Vandoorne will give it a go. He will have a good shot.

Jean-Éric Vergne: #25 DS E-TENSE FE23
What did he do last season: Vergne ended up fourth in the championship on 144 points. He had five podium finishes, but none in the final seven races of the season. This was his first winless season since the 2015-16 season and his winless drought is up to 28 races.

What to expect in this season: Vergne to be at the front and providing a strong DS Penske 1-2 combination. He should win again, possibly multiple times. He cannot be ruled out for the championship, but he will need to be more consistent. After the last few seasons, it is difficult processing the Dragon/Penske team being a title contender. That is the greatest hangup when it comes to either of its drivers. The speed is there but the team makes you worry it will let them down. 

Maserati MSG Racing

Maximilian Günther: #7 Maserati Tipo Folgore

What did he do last season: With only two points finishes, Günther was 19th in the championship on six points driving for Nissan e.dams after he had won in each of the previous two seasons driving for Andretti BMW.

What to expect in this season: Günther topped testing in a bit of a stunning outcome. He is a past winner, but has never put together a full season. I don't see him accomplishing that this season. He could win a race, but not be a regular podium finisher and end up just outside the top five in the championship.

Edoardo Mortara: #48 Maserati Tipo Folgore

What did he do last season: With four victories, Mortara was tied for the most victories in the 2022 season. He had six podium finishes, but finished outside the points in five races, and wound p third in the championship on 169 points.

What to expect in this season: Mortara was ninth in testing, but he has been in the top three of the championship the last two seasons. Maserati should have plenty of good days, but I don't think Mortara can match his 2022 output. A step back is more likely and Mortara clawing just to make the top five.

Jaguar TCS Racing

Mitch Evans: #9 Jaguar I-Type 6

What did he do last season: Evans was tied with Mortara for the the most race victories in the 2022 season with four. He had seven total podium finishes, but finished outside the points in four races and wound up second in the championship with 180 points.

What to expect in this season: Jaguar was all over the place in testing. Evans wound up 18th while teammate Sam Bird was sixth. Evans gets better every season. The only way to go from second in the championship is first. It is possible, but Jaguar cannot be hit or miss. Evans should win multiple times again, but he is not the championship favorite entering race one. 

Sam Bird: #10 Jaguar I-Type 6

What did he do last season: For the first time in his Formula E career, Bird went winless and he scored his worst championship finish ending up 13th on 51 points. He scored points in eight of 14 starts, missing the final round in Seoul due to a wrist injury.

What to expect in this season: Bird has been down the last four seasons compared to his first four seasons. He has finished outside the top five in the championship the last four seasons after being no worse than fifth in the first four seasons. Bird should bounce back and at least be close to Evans. It would not be a surprised if Bird became the team leader, and if he returns to his highest levels, Bird could be champion. 

Envision Racing

Sébastien Buemi: #16 Jaguar I-Type 6

What did he do last season: Buemi was 15th in the championship, finishing on 30 points with his best finish being fifth in the first race from Brooklyn. This was the third consecutive season Buemi did not win a race and the second consecutive season without a podium finish driving for Nissan.

What to expect in this season: Jaguar is a better powertrain than the Nissan. Envision is a good organization and has never finished worse than fifth in the teams' championship. We know Buemi is a great driver. He should at least get back in the top ten of the championship. Testing results were average for Envision. I still think this will be a good team, but not quite spectacular. A good day could go Buemi's way and see him return to the podium. It could be a victory.

Nick Cassidy: #37 Jaguar I-Type 6

What did he do last season: Cassidy scored his first Formula E victory after the first Brooklyn race was called due to a thunderstorm that took out a portion of the field, most notably Cassidy, who was caught in the storm. He started on pole position in two races, but his only other top five finish was a third in the first London race. Cassidy ended up 11th in the championship on 68 points.

What to expect in this season: Something similar to last season, but now having to fight Buemi in the intra-team battle could see him play second fiddle at Envision. Cassidy was the faster of the two in testing and wound up 11th. The team had 14 non-points finishes in 2022. That isn't great, and a slight decrease isn't good enough. I think somewhere between seventh and 12th in the championship is about right for Cassidy.

Avalanche Andretti Formule E

Jake Dennis: #27 Porsche 99X Electric

What did he do last season: Dennis was sixth in the championship on 126 points off the back of his first career victory in London and four total podium finishes. He ended the season with eight consecutive finishes in the points and he finished in the points on 12 of 16 occasions. 

What to expect in this season: Dennis carried Andretti last year and the team improved greatly over the course of the season. Andretti's pace was on par with the factory Porsche unit. Andretti and Porsche were sixth and seventh in the championship last year, albeit with different powertrains. I think they will be in lockstep this year. A victory is tough to see, but this season could look a lot like 2022 with one or two brilliant results and then a smattering of other points finishes.

André Lotterer: #36 Porsche 99X Electric

What did he do last season: Lotterer was second in the third race of the season from Mexico City. He had three top five finishes in the first seven races, but he finished in the points in only three of the final nine events and took 12th in the championship on 63 points.

What to expect in this season: There have been plenty of close days for Lotterer but he has yet to win a Formula E race. He has always gotten points finishes, but hasn't been a regular contender for victories. He is more a driver bound to have one or two great days and then find himself blending in. That should continue for another season.

TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team

António Félix da Costa: #13 Porsche 99X Electric

What did he do last season: Driving for Techeetah, da Costa won the second Brooklyn race and he had 12 finishes in the points, but he had only one other podium finish all season and it put him eighth in the championship on 122 points.

What to expect in this season: Da Costa makes a big switch after Techeetah exits Formula E. Da Costa was the slowest of the four Porsche powertrain drivers in 20th, but the best of the four was Pascal Wehrlein in 12th. Porsche has one or two great races every year and the rest of the time they are average. I am not convinced it can escape that this year, and da Costa, who has won a race in each of the last four seasons, might see that run end while scoring in fewer races than the year before and getting his worst championship finish since 2017-18.

Pascal Wehrlein: #94 Porsche 99X Electric

What did he do last season: Wehrlein scored Porsche's first Formula E victory with a 1-2 day in Mexico City, but that was his only top five finish of the season and Wehrlein took tenth in the championship with 71 points.

What to expect in this season: In Wehrlein's three full seasons he has finished 12th, 11th and tenth in the championship. I don't think Wehrlein will finish ninth this year. At best, he will get tenth. The Porsche and Andretti drivers could all be congested together in the championship. I don't see any of them being a regular top five finisher. 

Mahindra Racing

Oliver Rowland: #8 Mahindra M9Electro

What did he do last season: Twenty-one of the 32 points Rowland scored in the 2022 season came with his runner-up finish from pole position in the penultimate race of the season in Seoul. He retired from seven races and took 14th in the championship.

What to expect in this season: Rowland was fifth in testing after a good end to his 2022 season. Mahindra wasn't great lsat season. That leaves a lot of room to improve. Mahindra should improve. I am not convinced this team can regularly win races. Rowland should push for the top ten in the championship with a few podium results.

Lucas di Grassi: #11 Mahindra M9Electro

What did he do last season: Di Grassi took his record-tying 13th Formula E victory in the second London race. The Brazilian had four podium finishes and scored points in 11 of 16 races to take fifth in the championship on 126 points.

What to expect in this season: Di Grassi is going to be driving for his third team in three seasons. He finds a way to finish in the top ten of the championship. I expect the same from him. He was 15th in testing, but di Grassi should lead this team. He can find a race victory. I am not sure he can break the top five in the championship, but it isn't out of the question.

Nissan Formula E Team

Norman Nato: #17 Nissan e-4ORCE 04

What did he do last season: Nato stepped in for an injured Sam Bird in the Seoul round and he finished 13th and 14th with no points to his name. Nato spent his 2022 season driving for RealTeam by WRT in the World Endurance Championship's LMP2 class. He won at Monza and had three podium finishes. 

What to expect in this season: Nato was seventh in testing, which was a good sign for Nissan. Nissan should score more points, but I don't think he nor Nissan will be on the podium at a great clip. A handful of points finishes will be a successful season. 

Sacha Fenestraz: #23 Nissan e-4ORCE 04

What did he do last season: Fenestraz started the final race of the Formula E season in Seoul after Antonio Giovinazzi stepped out of his Dragon/Penske entry due to a hand injury in the first race of that weekend. Fenestraz was second in the Super Formula championship with a victory and he also won a race in Super GT and was sixth in that championship.

What to expect in this season: While Nato was seventh, Fenestraz was 21st. It will still be a difficult season for Nissan. It is not going to be pushing for the championship. Nato should lead this team. I don't see Fenestraz getting any top five finishes.

NIO 333 Racing

Sérgio Sette Câmara: #3 NIO 333 ER9

What did he do last season: Câmara scored two points with a ninth-place finish in the second London race. He was running at the finish of 13 of 15 starts.

What to expect in this season: Câmara was the slowest in testing, but within touching distance with the rest of the field. There is no reason to expect anything greater from NIO than a handful of point but mostly finishing 15th or worse. That should continue. 

Dan Ticktum: #33 NIO 333 ER9

What did he do last season: Ticktum scored a point with a tenth-place finish in the second Rome race. He was running at the finish of 12 of 16 starts, ending the season with three consecutive retirements.

What to expect in this season: Ticktum was 14th in testing. He had one points last year. Anything between two and six would be a significant improvement. NIO will likely finish last in the teams' championship.

Neom McLaren Formula E Team

Jake Hughes: #5 Nissan e-4ORCE 04

What did he do last season: Hughes drove for Van Amersfoort Racing in 16 Formula Two races with his best finish being fourth in the Jeddah feature race. He was 16th in the championship with 26 points. He was also the simulator driver for the Mercedes and Aston Martin F1 teams. 

What to expect in this season: McLaren opened some eyes in testing with Hughes leading the way in fourth. Hughes has never been a top prospect. I don't think he will be leading this team and be a regular race winner. He could get one, but he will get tripped up in a few races and finish second within the McLaren organization with some space between him and his experienced teammate.

René Rast: #58 Nissan e-4ORCE 04

What did he do last season: Rast was third in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters with one victory. In five WEC races driving for Team WRT in LMP2, he won twice at Spa-Francorchamps and Bahrain. 

What to expect in this season: Rast was eighth in testing and he is more than capable of carrying McLaren. He was good in his first Formula E stint with Audi. It is difficult to imagine McLaren winning the championship in year one, but Rast has what it takes to win two or three times and be the delightful surprise of the season. 

ABT CUPRA Formula E Team

Robin Frijns: #4 Mahindra M9Electro

What did he do last season: With Envision Racing, Frijns was seventh in the championship on 126 points. The Dutchman did not win a race but he had four podium finishes. 

What to expect in this season: ABT Sport is back and it had respectable testing results. Frijns was tenth in testing. He should do what he does, finish in the points, be consistent, but not overly flashy. I think the podium will be a stretch but not unthinkable.

Nico Müller: #51 Mahindra M9Electro

What did he do last season: Müller was seventh in the DTM championship with one victory. He made one start for Peugeot in the Hyperclass while running four WEC races in LMP2 with Vector Sport. He was fourth overall in Bahrain with Peugeot and third in the LMP2 class at Monza. 

What to expect in this season: Müller's first Formula E run was with a bad Dragon team, but he still pulled out some good results. He should close to Frijns in the championship, but there will be races he is leading the ABT duo and really holding his own. 

The first practice of the Formula E season will take place at 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday January 13. Saturday morning practice will take place at 8:30 a.m. ET before qualifying at 10:40 a.m. ET. The Mexico City ePrix is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET.

Musings From the Weekend: Open Enrollment

Eli Tomac fell from the lead, went down to fifth about eight seconds, and still won the Supercross season opener from Anaheim by nearly four seconds. The Dakar Rally enters its final week, but it begins with the rest day. A 61st car was added to the 24 Hours of Daytona entry list. The World Rally Championship has retired the #43. Chicagoland Speedway will get some use in 2023. Pietro Fittipaldi will have a full-time ride in LMP2. Michael Cannon has left Chip Ganassi Racing for Dale Coyne Racing. Andretti Global and General Motors are partnering in a combined effort to enter Formula One with the Cadillac name. Here is a rundown of what got me thinking.

Open Enrollment

Only a day before Andretti Global and General Motors announced its partnership to join Formula One, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated he was looking to work with the existing Formula One teams to create a process for new teams to enter the series. As the series has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years, it is only natural that there will be more interested suitors joining the grid. 

Audi has already announced its intention and will take over Sauber when it joins in 2026. Porsche was in conversations with Red Bull to work on the engine program starting in 2026, but that deal fell apart. Ironically, the latest manufacturer in talks with Red Bull to brand its engines is Ford Motor Company, the same Ford Motor Company that sold Jaguar F1 to Red Bull after the 2004 Formula One season. 

Andretti has been making the waves the longest. Since late 2021, Andretti has openly expressed an interest to join the Formula One grid. At first, there was a possible takeover of Sauber, but that deal was scuttled quickly. Since the spring 2022, Andretti has stated it would start its own team, which has been received with resistance from much of the Formula One grid. 

Despite commitments to build a new facility in the United States and pairing with the sixth largest auto manufacturer in the world, Andretti is still facing hurdles from most teams. McLaren and Alpine have been open to making room at the table. The problem is if Andretti is at the door, more are bound to come. 

The current ten Formula One teams are comfortable with the slice of pie they are getting. One more team and that will mean a smaller slice for the rest even if the slices are growing. While the Formula One teams work together, they do not have complete control of the series. They can make it quite difficult, but the money isn't theirs. It goes through Liberty Media and is then doled out. The teams are not in control like in the Premier League or NFL, where each member decides how much gets and how many are in the league. The money goes through Liberty Media and the Concorde Agreement determines how the funds are distributed. 

Andretti is only the tip of the iceberg. More teams are going to express interest and put together bids. The Formula One team cannot say no to everyone. Simultaneously, not everyone can purchase an existing team, nor will the existing teams want to sell. With such an impasse bound to arise, someone will have to give, and it must be the teams. 

It can only be a closed loop for so long. It is understandable why the teams do not want to give up a cent, but eventually they will. The suitors will have too much power to turn down and could actually increase exposure and value to the series. It could be the Formula One teams are holding out that Andretti will get tired of waiting and move on, but the fire power is now there to suggest Andretti and General Motors will not go away until it is on the grid. 

As everything else in Formula One expands, the number of races, the number of spectators, the number of television viewers, the number of teams will only naturally eventually increase. Unlike those other categories, teams are not guaranteed to be successful. A successful race in terms of an event is much easier to pull off and all the teams are winners in said circumstance. Teams don't want other teams to succeed. No one wants to make it easier on a newcomer. Success for a new team takes away from those who have been fighting for years for better results. 

What is wrong with a larger Formula One grid? 

There was an era of small teams filling out the grid. Some found occasional success. Others were rather dreadful. Some became sympathetic favorites. However, the last time Formula One saw mass expansion, it blew up. It didn't help that these teams had been promised a budget gap ahead of the 2010 season. When the FIA went back on the cap, Hispania, Virgin and Caterham were all significantly behind in the bank account and could not keep up, as the existing teams continued spending as they had been for many years prior. That was the same year USF1 was dead-on-arrival and never made it to the grid. 

Engines will be any issue for any new teams. Those 2010 teams all jumped onto the returning Cosworth power unit, one that was woefully uncompetitive compared to the rest of the power plants. There are only four power units on the current grid. They could all refuse to supply any new team. There is a way to prevent anyone being refused an engine.

In 2023, the four engine manufacturers will not be equally represented on the grid. Mercedes has four teams, the factory outfit, McLaren, Williams and Aston Martin. Ferrari is taking care of itself, Haas and Alfa Romeo. Red Bull's RBPT engine is in its car and AlphaTauri. Alpine is the only Alpine-powered team.

In 2026, the current four makes will remain on the grid while Audi plans on building its own engine and Honda registered to be a possible manufacturer. One way to ensure enough opportunities is requiring each engine manufacturer to supply at least two teams. With six manufacturers, that would mean at least 12 teams on the grid, two more than the current moment, but two would only be the minimum. Mercedes and Ferrari could each continue fielding more than the required two. All of a sudden, there could be 15 teams on the grid. 

Current FIA regulations stipulate no more than 26 cars can start a Formula One race, and I doubt any team will want to fail to qualify, but, as we have seen other things change around the Formula One world, grid size could be another. We have seen new requirements for track limits, runoff, fencing, garage size, curbing,  starting grid space and more. And, again, we have seen more races, more viewers and more sponsors. In the mid-2020s, isn't it conceivable the maximum grid size could increase to 28 or 30 cars and allow more teams to compete? 

Not everyone is going to come in and be Mercedes or Red Bull, but should the grid be limited? Shouldn't there be more independent teams that can take a crack at it? Shouldn't more manufacturers be allowed to compete if they so desire? 

The more the merrier they say. The existing teams might not be excited, but many would be thrilled to see another two to ten teams on the grid. It doesn't have to be like the late 1980s and early 1990s when a bunch of small teams were there just hoping to be marginally competitive. It doesn't have to be a grid of Osella, Coloni, EuroBrun, Onyx, Rial and Zakspeed, but there are plenty of capable teams out there, and capable drivers who deserve a crack at Formula One. At first, it could be Andretti with General Motors, but down the road it could be Prema Racing, WRT, or some Saudi oil magnate looking to start his own team. 

A crossroads is in Formula One's future. Pressure will only increase as more teams look to enter the series. The current teams may not like it, but they have no choice to make room for others. On the flip side, it would be in the FIA's best interest to make sure any new team has a fighting chance and access to a developed engine. 

Andretti is only the beginning, and the FIA has already invited others to join the party. It will only get more difficult from here for the current teams.  

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Eli Tomac, but did you know...

Dakar Rally update:

Bikes: American Skyler Howes is a minute and 13 seconds ahead of Argentine Kevin Benavides and fellow American Madison Klein. Toby Price is a minute and 58 seconds backhand less than three minutes also cover Pablo Quintanilla and Adrien Van Beveren and Daniel Sanders and Joan Barreda are both within eight minutes of Howes.

Quads: Alexandre Giroud has an hour and 23-minute lead over Francisco Moreno and an hour and 41-minute lead over Manuel Andújar. American Pablo Copetti is fourth, an hour and 42 minutes back.

Cars: Nasser Al-Attiyah is an hour and three minutes clear of Henk Lategan. Lucas Moraes is third, an hour and 20 minutes back. Sébastien Loeb is fourth, trailing by an hour and 52 minutes. 

Light Prototypes: Belgium's Guillame De Mévius leads Americans Austin Jones and Seth Quintero by three minutes and 19 seconds and an hour and two minutes respectively.

SSV: Rokas Baciuška is four minutes and 34 seconds ahead of Marek Goczał with Eryk Goczał five minutes and 48 seconds behind.

Trucks: Aleš Loprais leads Martin van den Brink by 16 minutes and 17 seconds. Janus Van Kasteren is 38 minutes and three seconds off the lead. 

Coming Up This Weekend

The conclusion of the Dakar Rally.

Supercross goes north to Oakland

Formula E season opener from Mexico City.

The 37th Chili Bowl.

The 18th Dubai 24 Hour.

The series formerly known as the Toyota Racing Series returns as Formula Regional Oceania at Highlands Motorsport Park.

2023 IndyCar Team Preview: A.J. Foyt Racing

The New Year may have just begun, but the IndyCar season will be here in no time and with just under two months until the engines fire on the streets of St. Petersburg, it is time to start rolling out previews for the 2023 season. 

Nearly every seat is accounted for, some by returning drivers and others will have new occupants. A.J. Foyt Racing is in the latter camp, a camp the team is familiar with. It is a wholesale change for the Texas team. This will be the fourth consecutive season where Foyt has not retained its driver lineup from the previous season, and it is the sixth time in the last seven offseason it has changed its lineup. How will things be better this time around? We will surely find out over the 17 races.

At First Glance... A.J. Foyt Racing will only go as far as Santino Ferrucci will take it

It is another new pairing for Foyt, but the team has brought in one of the flashier young drivers in recent seasons. Santino Ferrucci hasn't won races. He hasn't competed for championships, but he has caught your attention. 

Ferrucci has not raced full-time since the 2020 season, but he has six top ten finishes from his last eight starts and one of those finishes was an 11th. On ovals, and at Indianapolis in particular, he is a snake in the grass but one in our line of sight. We are ready for him to strike but even with preparation we aren't sure if we will react in time to avoid being bitten. 

Four starts in the Indianapolis 500 and four top ten finishes, averaging a finish of 6.75, and that isn't even the most impressive thing Ferrucci has done in his IndyCar career. It isn't even competing for the victory at Gateway while a rookie. Over the last two seasons as a part-time driver, Ferrucci has stepped into races and been competitive when he otherwise was overlooked. 

Sixth at Indianapolis is one thing, but to finish sixth and tenth in the 2021 Belle Isle doubleheader, the second result coming after an accident in qualifying left the team scurrying to rebuild the car in time for the start is downright astonishing. Most drivers of a common ilk wouldn't be competing for a top fifteen finish in such an instance, and Ferrucci scored two top tens. 

Once more, Ferrucci was an 11th-hour substitute for Jack Harvey last year at Texas. With only a few shakedown laps underneath him and stepping into a car that qualified 24th, the best of a three-car  Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing operation, Ferrucci drove to ninth and finished on the lead lap. 

The Connecticut-native keeps finding results and from the most unlikely situations. Now comes the most unlikely situation for success of his career. 

A.J. Foyt Racing has been far from producing a regular top ten finisher. Ferrucci has been able to work his magic driving for Dale Coyne Racing, RLLR and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, but all those teams are a step up from Foyt, and honestly, they are all likely two steps up. 

This could be a damned if you, damned if you don't situation for Ferrucci. Succeed and he likely will get a promotion. If he was to pull out a top fifteen championship finish with this team, he could put himself at the front of the line for the anticipated opening at Chip Ganassi Racing once Álex Palou leaves after this season. However, when drivers fail at Foyt, they usually disappear. 

Has anyone seen Matheus Leist lately?

Ferrucci will carry all the attention. Teammate, and rookie, Benjamin Pedersen is along for the ride. Pedersen adds his name to a list of moderately successful Indy Lights drivers Foyt is cashing a check from to run in IndyCar. Pedersen had flashes in the junior series, more than his predecessor Dalton Kellett, but it is difficult to imagine he will be leading this organization to the promised land. It all comes down to Ferrucci. 

2022 A.J. Foyt Racing Review

Wins: 0

Best Finish: 10th (Long Beach)

Poles: 0

Best Start: 9th (Mid-Ohio)

Championship Finishes: 24th (Kyle Kirkwood), 25th (Dalton Kellett), 29th (Tatiana Calderón), 30th (J.R. Hildebrand)

Santino Ferrucci - #14 Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

9.8571: Average finish in 14 oval starts

14.344: Average finish in 29 road/street course starts

4: Consecutive top ten finishes on ovals

25: Percent of the last 16 oval races have had an A.J. Foyt Racing driver finish in the top ten

27: Average championship finish of the four Foyt drivers from the 2022 season

What does a championship season look like for him?

Considering no Foyt driver could crack the top twenty in 2022, no Foyt driver has cracked the top fifteen since 2019, no Foyt driver has cracked the top twelve since 2010 and no Foyt driver has cracked the top ten since 2002, anything that is marginally competitive will be considered a great success. 

An unthinkable championship starts with oval victories, and I mean all of them. Texas, Indianapolis, sweeping Iowa and Gateway. Five victories where the minimum points alone for such a result would pay Ferrucci 305 points, leaving him with a good foundation. Those 305 points alone in 2022 would get him 16th in the championship without even taking into consideration a road/street course race. 

Since reunification, the champion has averaged 598.333 points. From the remaining 12 road/street course races, Ferrucci would need 293 points, about 24 per race, meaning he would need to average an eighth-place finish. It would have to be a historic season for himself and the Foyt team for that to happen.

What does a realistic season look like for him?

With Foyt, it feels like the results are more on the team's side than the driver's side. The team is going to be more of anchor than a rocket. It hasn't worked for Tony Kanaan. It hasn't worked for Sébastien Bourdais. I think we can still see those flashy oval days from Ferrucci, but not necessarily at each oval round. The road course results will likely be in line with what we have seen from Ferrucci before but probably a little bit worse.

The entire Foyt team had one top ten finish last year. Ferrucci should do better than that, but it will not shake up the IndyCar scene. The top fifteen will still be out of reach, but he should be comfortably in the top twenty. 

Benjamin Pedersen - #TBD Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

329: Days between A.J. Foyt Racing's most recent top ten finish and the 2023 season opener at St. Petersburg

32.352: Percent of podium finishes over 34 Indy Lights starts

4: As in Pedersen is the fourth rookie driver to run for A.J. Foyt Racing in the last six seasons

19.333: Average finish of the previous three rookie drivers for Foyt

What does a championship season look like for him?

Something unexpected. Pedersen would need to blow the doors off the competition from the start and then maintain that form throughout the rest of the season. Something that would rival what we saw from Robert Wickens during his rookie season in 2018 but it would need to see Pedersen pull out a few victories. 

However, if Pedersen is doing that, how good would Ferrucci's results have to be? It is difficult to envision a season where Pedersen is significantly better than Ferrucci.

In reality, if Pedersen is competing from the championship, something serious has happened to about 24 other drivers and IndyCar would be in greater trouble than we can imagine at this time.

What does a realistic season look like for him?

Unfortunately, somewhere outside the top twenty. IndyCar is too good to think Benjamin Pedersen, a driver with one victory in 34 Indy Lights races, will join this series with a full-time grid 27 entries deep, driving for A.J. Foyt Racing and crack the top twenty. 

He should be better than Dalton Kellett and probably have a few races where the pace is respectable. But in a field that has only gotten deeper as McLaren expands to three cars and the only other rookie is a Formula Two race winner driving for Ganassi, Pedersen's road to success only got tougher. Any top ten finish would be staggering. There should be a few races he cracks the top fifteen, but most days will be in the back third of the field.

The 2023 NTT IndyCar Series begins on Sunday March 5 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. NBC and Peacock will have coverage of the race.