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| Alexander Rossi had a career year and was arguably the best driver in 2018 |
He was everyone's sleeper entering the 2018 season and sure enough the man who we all thought could challenge for the championship did. Rossi's 2018 season was spectacular to watch and in every race he left us dazzled. In races where we thought passing was not going to occur, Rossi made heart-stopping moves that will be shown for years to come. He might not have taken home the hardware but he won a lot of hearts.
What objectively was his best race?
Rossi had a career year and won three races after having won twice in his first two seasons. Each victory was a beat down. The first was in his home state on the streets of Long Beach, a race where he started on pole position and led 71 of 85 laps. His second victory would not come until the end of July at Mid-Ohio but it was another victory from pole position and while he only led 66 of 90 laps, Rossi won by 12.8285 seconds over Robert Wickens. His final victory was in the following race at Pocono. He didn't start on pole position in this one but he started third and led 180 of 200 laps at an average speed of 191.304 MPH, this fourth-fastest 500-mile race in IndyCar history.
What subjectively was his best race?
Pocono. While the Long Beach and Mid-Ohio victories were impressive, Pocono was an old-school 500-mile race where one man ran from the field and dared it to keep up. Will Power put a valiant fight and he took the point for a bit but Rossi out-legged the Australian after Power had won the prior two Pocono races and was coming off his Indianapolis 500 victory in May. On top of all that, Rossi joined limited company at Pocono as he became just the ninth driver to lead at least 450 miles in a 500-mile IndyCar race and he was the first to do it in nearly 38 years.
The others to do?
Ralph DePalma: 1912 Indianapolis 500, 490 miles led, finished 11th.
Dario Resta: 1916 Speedway Park, 450 mile led, finished first.
Billy Arnold: 1930 Indianapolis 500, 495 miles led, finished first.
Bill Vukovich: 1953 Indianapolis 500, 487.5 miles led, finished first.
Jim Clark: 1965 Indianapolis 500, 472.5 miles led, finished first.
Al Unser: 1970 Indianapolis 500, 475 miles led, finished first.
A.J. Foyt: 1975 California 500, 468.5 miles led, finished first.
Bobby Unser: 1980 California 500, 455 miles led, finished first.
Who wouldn't want to add their name to that list?
What objectively was his worst race?
Rossi's worst race on paper was Road America, where chamber shim issues forced an extra pit stop and dropped him from podium contention to 16th.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Rossi coughed up a lot of points this season and that is where the championship was lost. Rossi really should have been controlling this championship from the get-go but he let a lot of points slip through his fingers.
At St. Petersburg, he should have at least finished second but his contact with Wickens drove him wide enough that both Sébastien Bourdais and Graham Rahal slid passed and instead of scoring 41 points, his scored 36 points.
At Phoenix, Rossi hit a crew member, had to serve a one-lap penalty and put on one of the greatest shows as a lapped car, uncapping himself under green flag conditions, overtaking when few else could and finding himself within ten seconds of the later in less than five minutes. The show got him up to third in the final results but if it wasn't for the whole charade, Rossi could have won this one outright with the pace he had.
At Barber, Rossi had an off while trying to stretch his slick tires in the wet and he went from at least an eighth place finish to 11th.
In the second Belle Isle race, Rossi was the best of the two-stop strategy drivers but Ryan Hunter-Reay was chasing him down for the lead and it seemed inevitable Hunter-Reay was going to get pass. Rossi tried to hold him off but a lock up not only knocked him out of the lead but dropped him to fourth and punctured his tire, forcing him to make another stop and then have to scramble to finish 12th instead of setting for second.
We covered Road America and the second half of the year was kinder to Rossi but he left points on the table. He stalled on his first pit stop at Iowa and what could have been fifth was ninth. At Toronto, he got into the back of Power and had to make an extra pit stop and he fought to finish eighth but should have been a top five finish. He had Portland in the bag and then cautions went against him and sometimes those days happen and you finish eighth.
Finally, Sonoma, where he ran into the back of his teammate Marco Andretti at the start, puncture his front tire and had to limp back to the pits on lap one. It was almost championship over but Rossi never quits and got himself back into the discussion even though he would run out of fuel before the finish line and drop to seventh.
Sonoma might be the worst of all because he still had a great shot at the championship and he kind of beat himself but the second Belle Isle race was just as bad.
At St. Petersburg, he should have at least finished second but his contact with Wickens drove him wide enough that both Sébastien Bourdais and Graham Rahal slid passed and instead of scoring 41 points, his scored 36 points.
At Phoenix, Rossi hit a crew member, had to serve a one-lap penalty and put on one of the greatest shows as a lapped car, uncapping himself under green flag conditions, overtaking when few else could and finding himself within ten seconds of the later in less than five minutes. The show got him up to third in the final results but if it wasn't for the whole charade, Rossi could have won this one outright with the pace he had.
At Barber, Rossi had an off while trying to stretch his slick tires in the wet and he went from at least an eighth place finish to 11th.
In the second Belle Isle race, Rossi was the best of the two-stop strategy drivers but Ryan Hunter-Reay was chasing him down for the lead and it seemed inevitable Hunter-Reay was going to get pass. Rossi tried to hold him off but a lock up not only knocked him out of the lead but dropped him to fourth and punctured his tire, forcing him to make another stop and then have to scramble to finish 12th instead of setting for second.
We covered Road America and the second half of the year was kinder to Rossi but he left points on the table. He stalled on his first pit stop at Iowa and what could have been fifth was ninth. At Toronto, he got into the back of Power and had to make an extra pit stop and he fought to finish eighth but should have been a top five finish. He had Portland in the bag and then cautions went against him and sometimes those days happen and you finish eighth.
Finally, Sonoma, where he ran into the back of his teammate Marco Andretti at the start, puncture his front tire and had to limp back to the pits on lap one. It was almost championship over but Rossi never quits and got himself back into the discussion even though he would run out of fuel before the finish line and drop to seventh.
Sonoma might be the worst of all because he still had a great shot at the championship and he kind of beat himself but the second Belle Isle race was just as bad.
Alexander Rossi's 2018 Statistics
Championship Position: 2nd (621 points)
Wins: 3
Podiums: 8
Top Fives: 10
Top Tens: 14
Laps Led: 415
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 6
Fast Twelves: 9
Average Start: 6.5625
Average Finish: 5.705
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| After a few rough years, Ryan Hunter-Reay ended 2018 smiling |
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Hunter-Reay entered the 2018 season on a two-year drought since his most recent victory. Not to mention he had not finished in the top five of the championship since 2012. He got off the snide in both categories this year but the bad days could not be completely shaken this year.
What objectively was his best race?
The veteran got back in the win column after almost two and a half seasons of misses. The first victory was the Belle Isle race where Hunter-Reay was a man shot out of a cannon on the three-stop strategy and chased down his teammate Rossi despite the television crew calling the race over with 15 laps to go. The second victory was in the finale at Sonoma, a race where he started from pole position. Hunter-Reay really wasn't challenged in the finale and led 80 laps on his way to victory.
What subjectively was his best race?
Though he dominated Sonoma, the second Belle Isle race is what we love to see. Hunter-Reay ran flat out and it got him the victory but it should be noted it was the same strategy he employed the day before but a late caution erased his potential advantage as all the three-stop and two-stop drivers ended up on the same level playing field. If that caution had not come out in race one, Hunter-Reay might have won that race and it should be noted that Hunter-Reay had four runner-up finishes along with his two victories. This was a great year for Hunter-Reay.
What objectively was his worst race?
Hunter-Reay had two 20th-place finishes and both punches to the gut. He was forced to make an early pit stop at Long Beach after contact with Scott Dixon damaged his front wing. He got back into the top five but Takuma Sato cut down his tire. He lost a lap but fought back to the lead lap only to get caught at the hairpin after Bourdais spun and then he hit the barrier, ending his day. At Gateway, Hunter-Reay had a fuel pressure issue end his night while in contention for a top five finish.
What subjectively was his worst race?
I am going to list three:
The first is the Grand Prix of Indianapolis where Hunter-Reay lost a cylinder a third of the way into the race and he limped home to an 18th place finish.
At Iowa, Hunter-Reay had no radio communication with his crew from the start. He could hear them but the crew couldn't hear Hunter-Reay. For the first 220 laps it was fine and Hunter-Reay was in the top ten but he had to call it a day when the left rear chamber shims fell out.
Finally, Toronto was a race where Hunter-Reay locked up and slid into the turn three barrier on his own while in a podium position.
The first is the Grand Prix of Indianapolis where Hunter-Reay lost a cylinder a third of the way into the race and he limped home to an 18th place finish.
At Iowa, Hunter-Reay had no radio communication with his crew from the start. He could hear them but the crew couldn't hear Hunter-Reay. For the first 220 laps it was fine and Hunter-Reay was in the top ten but he had to call it a day when the left rear chamber shims fell out.
Finally, Toronto was a race where Hunter-Reay locked up and slid into the turn three barrier on his own while in a podium position.
Ryan Hunter-Reay's 2018 Statistics
Championship Position: 4th (566 points)
Wins: 2
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 10
Top Tens: 11
Laps Led: 132
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 7
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 6.375
Average Finish: 8.764
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| Marco Andretti made improvements in 2018 |
Marco Andretti
After a few tough years in the aero kit epoch, Andretti had better days with the universal aero kit and was much more competitive though victory has still been far off for the third-generation driver.
What objectively was his best race?
Andretti started on pole position for the first Belle Isle race and he led the first stint but Dixon jumped ahead him during the pit cycle. Andretti could not get back to the lead but he held on for a fourth place finish.
What subjectively was his best race?
I am going to say Sonoma because he was quick all weekend and the entire Andretti Autosport team was on it that weekend. Andretti qualified fourth, the second-best qualifier for the team. Three Andretti cars made it to the Fast Six, all four cars started in the top ten and Patricio O'Ward made his debut with Harding Racing and was starting fifth. Sure, Rossi got into Andretti at the start but Andretti stayed in the top five all race and closed the season with a fifth place finish.
What objectively was his worst race?
It was Portland where Andretti had nowhere to go in turn two at the start and his race was over in the span of 30 seconds. He started ninth and ended up classified as dead fucking last in 25th.
What subjectively was his worst race?
I am going to double back to the first Belle Isle race because while he started on pole position he could not dictate control of the race and it always seemed like Dixon was going to leapfrog of Andretti. It seemed like something the team should have been on top of and been aggressive to make sure Dixon would not get ahead. If Andretti could have stayed ahead of Dixon after the first pit stop then Andretti probably wins that race.
Marco Andretti's 2018 Statistics
Championship Position: 9th (392 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 22
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 3
Average Start: 12.5
Average Finish: 11.508
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| Zach Veach was trending in the right direction at the end of 2018 |
After a part-time effort in 2017, Veach made the full-time move to IndyCar with Andretti Autosport. Veach suffered growing pains early in the season but the Ohioan kept plugging along. At the end of the season, he was turning heads and a lot of people are excited for what he will do in his sophomore season.
What objectively was his best race?
He finished fourth in the third race of the season at Long Beach and it might not have been a stellar drive to the front but Veach found himself in a position at the front and he made the most of it. Veach challenged Ed Jones for that final podium position and he did not make it easy on the Ganassi driver. This was probably a result that was five positions better than it should have been but this was a taste of the season to come for Veach.
What subjectively was his best race?
Gateway! And Pocono! But mostly Gateway! Veach had to start 16th because qualifying was rained out but he likely would have qualified in the top five and had he started in the top five he might have won the race. Veach made some daring moves and got to the front. He ended the night in fifth! As for Pocono, Veach was making moves in what was tricky aerodynamic conditions and he wasn't passing nobodies, he was passing past champions; the likes of Bourdais, Newgarden and Pagenaud.
What objectively was his worst race?
Veach had a pair of 23rd-place finishes in the two Indianapolis races. The road course race was never favorable to him as he started 20th but mechanical issues didn't help make his day any easier. In the 500-mile race, Veach caught on fire exiting the pits but the car put itself out. Other than that, nothing memorable happened and he finished two laps down.
What subjectively was his worst race?
There are two races I will focus on: The second Belle Isle race and Portland.
In that Belle Isle race, Veach started seventh, the first top ten starting position of his career but in the race he faded a bit and wasn't really in contention for a top ten finish. He settled into 13th.
Portland was off a wave of momentum with fourth consecutive top ten finishes and off the back of the great results at Pocono and Gateway. He started sixth in this race and while a lot of challengers were out in the first lap, Veach had his own off-track excursion cause a caution and ruin what could have definitely been another top ten finish.
In that Belle Isle race, Veach started seventh, the first top ten starting position of his career but in the race he faded a bit and wasn't really in contention for a top ten finish. He settled into 13th.
Portland was off a wave of momentum with fourth consecutive top ten finishes and off the back of the great results at Pocono and Gateway. He started sixth in this race and while a lot of challengers were out in the first lap, Veach had his own off-track excursion cause a caution and ruin what could have definitely been another top ten finish.
Zach Veach's 2018 Statistics
Championship Position: 15th (313 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 5
Laps Led: 2
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 5
Average Start: 14.4375
Average Finish: 14.508
An Early Look Ahead
All four drivers will be back in 2019.
Andretti Autosport won five races this season, the most the team has won since 2013. Andretti Autosport has been a championship contender since it entered the IRL in 2003 but it has been a less consistent contender when compared to Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing. Andretti Autosport ebb and flows. It will have a strong championship effort one season and follow it up with two or three lackluster seasons in-between its next go at the title but the team might be in its best shape since the glory days of Dan Wheldon, Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan and Bryan Herta.
Rossi had a championship-caliber season in 2018 and it seemed like the races where Rossi lost points, some of which were of his own making, were part of the growing process. He could have won the title this season and made the mistakes he did but he might be better off losing the title and spending the off-time focusing on where he can improve.
Rossi is an intelligent driver. He isn't a driver who is quick and needs to be honed in because of recklessness. He knows the limits and has perfected the high-wire act at the age of 27. The best example of this was at Gateway where in the first stint of the race Rossi was preaching patience on the radio and was conserving everything knowing it was a long race. When it came to the final stint, Rossi and the team decided to conserve fuel and not make an additional pit stop. While everyone else was going all-out, Rossi ran his race and he made it to the finish, not pushing the car, which would have been easy to do and running out of fuel. It got him a second place finish and made up ground in the championship. He can buy into a strategy and make it work. Not many drivers can do that in their third year in IndyCar.
It was comforting to see Hunter-Reay finish fourth in the championship on the back of two victories and six podium finishes. Hunter-Reay had a great season and he had ten top five finishes! There are years where that would have been enough to be champion but there were too many ill-fated days for him. If Hunter-Reay can get pass those days where electrical gremlins get him or he gets a tire cut down and just finishes those races in seventh or eighth, he could add another championship to his résumé and beat his teammate in the process.
Marco Andretti had a good season and he got back into the top ten of the championship. I felt this season had a big split with the top five drivers and Robert Wickens out front, Simon Pagenaud and Sébastien Bourdais in this next group and then Graham Rahal, Andretti and James Hinchcliffe all consistently finishing in the top ten but not doing much better than that.
Rahal and Andretti finished tied on points and Rahal finished eighth on tiebreaker but when you consider Rahal started the season with six consecutive top ten finishes and ten top ten finishes in the first 11 races I think it says a lot about Andretti's season. It was not as flashy and Andretti did benefit from finishing fifth in the double points finale at Sonoma but he can hold his own and what is wrong with that? He might not win nine races in a season but Andretti is a solid driver.
Veach might have ended the season as the driver we are most excited about. It might have been a coincidence that this surge in excitement around Veach occurred simultaneously with the exit of Robert Wickens due to his injury but things were clicking for Veach during summer. His season had a bit of a rough patch at the start but Veach started getting results and made a big leap forward down the stretch. I don't want to say he will win a race in 2019 but after watching how he did on ovals, I would not be surprised if he is in contention at Indianapolis, Texas, Pocono and/or Iowa.
Things are looking good for Andretti Autosport. I don't think Rossi is going anywhere and I don't mean that in I don't think he is going to Team Penske but I don't think Rossi is going to fall off. I think he will be there challenging Scott Dixon and Will Power for the title in 2019 and I would not be surprised if Hunter-Reay is in the conversation as well.
