We are entering the final stretch of the IndyCar Wrap-Ups, and we move to another race-winning organization, one that saw a shot upward. With a new name and one fewer entry, Andretti Global made a stride back to where it once was. Renewed speed produced more competitive entries. Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood each had their best seasons in IndyCar. Marcus Ericsson had some good days but experienced some growing pains at his new home.
Colton Herta
Entering 2024, Herta had not won since May 2022. It had been quite the rough spell for the one that was seen as IndyCar's next great driver. Victory had not been all that close either in 2023. He was more known for letting good results get away from him over the previous year-and-a-half. This season started different, and it was clear this season was not going to be same as the recent past.
What objectively was his best race?
After going more than two years without a victory, Herta won twice in the final six races, a dominate victory from pole position at Toronto and a drive to the front with a late pass for the victory at Nashville Superspeedway, the first oval victory of Herta's career.
What subjectively was his best race?
Toronto should get a mention because Herta led 81 of 85 laps, but the most impressive part of Herta's season was his oval form. He spun in the Indianapolis 500 while running in the top five, but Herta probably should have won one of the Iowa races. If he didn't get caught on pit lane in the first race when Álex Palou spun, he could have won. Herta overcame starting at the back at Gateway to finish fifth. An unsecured tire on his final pit stop cost him in the first Milwaukee race, and he had another great drive forward in the second Milwaukee race.
It felt like Herta should have won an oval race this season, and the fact it came at Nashville, another race where he started in the middle of the field and worked forward, was fitting. It is more incredible when you consider Herta had to run down Patricio O'Ward and then pull off a daring pass while splitting the lapped car of Sting Ray Robb. Sticking to the inside of turn two, Herta was able to carry speed into turn three and pass O'Ward, running away from there to close the season with a victory.
What objectively was his worst race?
Herta was in second when he spun exiting turn one in the Indianapolis 500, leading to a 23rd-place result. It was getting into the final stages of the race, and at that point Herta was running better than he had been all race.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Herta was in second when he spun exiting turn one in the Indianapolis 500, leading to a 23rd-place result. It was getting into the final stages of the race, and at that point Herta was running better than he had been all race.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Indianapolis was crushing, but there was a lot of time left and there is a chance Herta would not have been battling for the lead in the closing laps. Detroit is a race he should have won. He led from pole position and the way the cautions fell shuffled Herta back and put him in a precarious position. It was not long before Herta made an aggressive move on a damp track and wound up in the tires.
Colton Herta's 2024 Statistics
Championship Position: 2nd (513 points)
Wins: 2
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 10
Top Tens: 13
Laps Led: 305
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 7
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 8.647
Average Finish: 7.4118
Wins: 2
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 10
Top Tens: 13
Laps Led: 305
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 7
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 8.647
Average Finish: 7.4118
Kyle Kirkwood
Coming off a two-win season in his sophomore year, Kirkwood was looking to build upon what was somewhat of a surprising season. Though he won, great results were still limited. This year, Kirkwood took a step forward. Results improved and Kirkwood showed more speed. In three years, Kirkwood has gone from stepping over the edge to living in the top ten.
What objectively was his best race?
Kirkwood was in Herta's shadow for the entire race at Toronto and Kirkwood made it an Andretti Global 1-2 after the two drivers started first and second.
What subjectively was his best race?
Starting on pole position at Nashville, Kirkwood led early but he was caught on pit lane when Felix Rosenqvist suffered a tire puncture and hit the turn two wall. Kirkwood was waved back onto the lead lap immediately, but he went from first to 11th. However, Kirkwood drove forward and ended up finishing fourth in what was an impressive recovery drive.
What objectively was his worst race?
At Gateway, Kirkwood was running high in turn two when he made contact with Conor Daly and Romain Grosjean. This took Kirkwood out of contention for a top ten result or better, and he spent most of the race running 30 laps down. He was classified in 22nd.
What subjectively was his worst race?
At Gateway, Kirkwood was running high in turn two when he made contact with Conor Daly and Romain Grosjean. This took Kirkwood out of contention for a top ten result or better, and he spent most of the race running 30 laps down. He was classified in 22nd.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Kirkwood lost a top ten result in the second Iowa race spinning to avoid the Alexander Rossi and Sting Ray Robb accident. Kirkwood collected Ed Carpenter in the process. It was the final lap of the race and instead of finishing seventh or eighth, Kirkwood ended up 16th, his worst finish of the season up to that point.
Kyle Kirwood's 2024 Statistics
Championship Position: 7th (420 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 5
Top Tens: 13
Laps Led: 121
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 10.176
Average Finish: 8.7059
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 5
Top Tens: 13
Laps Led: 121
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 10.176
Average Finish: 8.7059
Marcus Ericsson
Coming off a successful four-year stint at Chip Ganassi Racing, Ericsson moved to his third IndyCar team with hopes of repeating his form at a new outfit. It was going to be a challenging ask to step down from Ganassi, an organization that had won three of the previous four championships, and the Swede did experience a few more tougher days than he was accustomed to at his previous team.
What objectively was his best race?
Though he spent most of the Detroit weekend as the third of the three Andretti cars, Ericsson ended up finishing second after all the cautions and pit strategies shook out. Ericsson had fresher tires and more fuel in the final stint than leader Scott Dixon, but Ericsson could not overtake the New Zealander in the closing laps.
What subjectively was his best race?
At Long Beach, Ericsson basically ran in a position to finish fifth the entire race. It wasn't anything special or spectacular, but after the tough start to the season, he needed a good day and he got it in Long Beach, putting two Andretti Global cars in the top five as Herta ended up finishing second.
What objectively was his worst race?
It is 33rd in the Indianapolis 500. Ericsson survived the Last Row Shootout after he suffered an accident in practice and lost his best car. Starting on the last row, Ericsson was collected when Tom Blomqvist spun. After finishing first and second in the previous two years at Indianapolis, this race was done before he even completed a corner.
What subjectively was his worst race?
It is 33rd in the Indianapolis 500. Ericsson survived the Last Row Shootout after he suffered an accident in practice and lost his best car. Starting on the last row, Ericsson was collected when Tom Blomqvist spun. After finishing first and second in the previous two years at Indianapolis, this race was done before he even completed a corner.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Expanding on Indianapolis, it is the ovals across the board for Ericsson. In seven oval races, Ericsson scored 81 points. That is ten fewer than Nolan Siegel, who did not qualify for the Indianapolis 500, and only three more than David Malukas, who was not even entered for the Indianapolis 500. The only drivers that ran every oval race that had fewer points than Ericsson were Kyffin Simpson (73), Pietro Fittipaldi (72) and Katherine Legge (61).
It wasn't for a lack of speed. Some of it was poor fortune. Ericsson had the accident at Indianapolis after a trying practice week. He and Josef Newgarden got together while battling inside the top five in the first Milwaukee race. Ericsson brushed the wall on his own at Nashville. He had five finishes outside the top twenty in seven oval starts. That wasn't down to some lack of ability but more unlucky days than anything else, and that happens on ovals. The smallest mistakes can be greater amplified on ovals. That is what we saw for Ericsson in 2024.
Marcus Ericsson's 2024 Statistics
Championship Position: 15th (297 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 4
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 14
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 3
Fast Twelves: 6
Average Start: 13.294
Average Finish: 15.176
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 4
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 14
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 3
Fast Twelves: 6
Average Start: 13.294
Average Finish: 15.176
An Early Look Ahead
Nothing is changing on the driver front for Andretti Global in 2025. The team found something in 2024. Herta looked like the driver we saw in 2020 and 2021 and who felt like he was inching closer to being a possible champion. Kirkwood picked up his form. Ericsson wasn't as clinical as we have seen, but the program did make a move forward.
In 2023, the Andretti organization had only three races where it had multiple cars in the top ten. In 2024, that number increased to 12 races. In six of those races, all three cars finished in the top ten. Only once in 2023 did Andretti have three cars in the top ten. Andretti Global had seven races with multiple top five finishers in 2024. That happened only once in 2023.
The problem with the Andretti organization is it has lacked that year-to-year consistency. It hasn't really pushed for the championship since Alexander Rossi in 2018 and 2019. The team hasn't won more than three races in a season since 2018, which was the most recent season it had multiple cars finish in the top five of the championship.
Andretti Global has lacked pace over every track discipline. Over the last few seasons, it can be good in one area but weaker in others. At one point, Andretti was the best team on short ovals, but it did not have competitive pace on road and street courses. It was once the team to beat at Indianapolis but it hasn't been in the conversation the last few years. Recently, the team has looked better on street courses but its oval form took a turn.
This past season felt like the first time in a while Andretti had good oval cars while its street course performances remained strong, but its road course form took a dip. It must find a way to be strong everywhere if it hopes to return to championship form. The drivers are there. Herta is the favorite, but Kirkwood has what it takes as well. Even Ericsson could carry the Andretti flag if called upon. The driver lineup is not a weak point for the organization.
Considering how this season ended, Andretti Global should remain in the picture for 2025. However, the team ended on an upward trend in 2021 and by the end of 2022, its best driver in the championship was ninth.
Álex Palou will remain the most consistent driver in IndyCar with an outstanding Chip Ganassi Racing. Team Penske will bounce back after a chaotic 2024. Patricio O'Ward is carrying confidence into next year. Andretti Global does not have its work cutout for itself, but the team ended 2024 heading in the right direction. Herta earned second in the championship through a strong finish to the season with two victories and eight top five finishes in the final ten races. That form is not accidentally. It will take more of that for Andretti Global to usurp the championship from the Penske-Ganassi tandem that has been controlling IndyCar for over a decade.
Everyone is improving, and Andretti Global must continue working to pick up on where it left off at the end of this season.
