IndyCar: 2025 season options dwindling for top free agents

As a seasoned IndyCar enthusiast with decades of racing under my belt (metaphorically speaking, of course), I must say that this news about the 2025 driver lineup has left me scratching my head and shaking it in disbelief. The fact that Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, a team that’s been struggling as much as a ’93 Ford Escort on the Autobahn, managed to snag one of the top remaining seats is just mind-boggling!

11 full-time IndyCar teams for the 2025 season have now finalized their driver rosters, with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing being one of them. They announced that Devlin DeFrancesco, a former Andretti Global driver who did not participate in the series during 2024, will take over from Pietro Fittipaldi as the driver of car No. 30 powered by Honda.

The decision leaves only three open full-time spots for the upcoming 17-race 2025 season, which kicks off in just three months. To put it another way, this week represents the midpoint between the conclusion of the 2024 season and the commencement of the 2025 season.

Juncos Hollinger Racing has announced that Sting Ray Robb, previously with A.J. Foyt Racing, will pilot the No. 78 Chevrolet next year. This leaves an open position for a driver in the No. 77 Chevrolet, which was driven by Romain Grosjean in 2024.

Over time, Dale Coyne Racing has gained a reputation for taking a leisurely approach when it comes to finalizing their driver rosters. In 2024, they fielded two full-time cars and are planning to continue this setup in 2025.

Options limited for top IndyCar free agents

In essence, drivers like Rinus VeeKay, a past winner at Ed Carpenter Racing and previously their five-season driver, are finding it challenging to secure new driving opportunities due to limited options available in the racing circuit. Alexander Rossi has replaced him.

2024 Rookie of the Year Linus Lundqvist finds himself in a comparable situation. He, who gathered numerous podium finishes on his way to earning this title, unfortunately found himself affected by Chip Ganassi Racing’s reduction from five vehicles to three. This adjustment was due to the implementation of the new charter system.

Despite experiencing tough times over recent seasons, culminating in a particularly challenging 2024 season, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s third seat was considered one of the most coveted open positions remaining. This sought-after position was filled by a driver who, in two consecutive years with an elite Andretti team, did not manage to secure a top-12 finish in any single race.

Regarding DeFrancesco, whose remarkable ability was demonstrated by his spectacular move from fifth position to the front at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in August 2023, the news came as a substantial disappointment for VeeKay, Lundqvist, and others.

But not all hope is lost for VeeKay and Lundqvist, should they indeed land rides for next year after all.

As a dedicated racing enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the impressive speed Juncos Hollinger Racing consistently demonstrates. Case in point: Conor Daly’s shocking podium finish at the Milwaukee Mile towards the end of the 2024 season. And let me set the record straight about Dale Coyne Racing – they’re not nearly as mediocre as many may believe.

2024 marked the first time since 2015 that Dale Coyne’s racing team didn’t have a permanent driver. It wasn’t unexpected then, that the team couldn’t manage to earn a single podium position for the first time since 2015 either.

When they choose not to play musical chairs, they achieve success. While there are certainly other factors at play, it’s essentially that straightforward. In the past 13 years, they have had a full-time driver on 11 different instances, and in those specific 11 cases (and no others), they have managed to secure at least one podium finish during the season.

I truly believe that VeeKay and Lundqvist, possibly even together, have the potential to carry on this momentum if they invest appropriately for the year 2025.

The upcoming 2025 IndyCar season kicks off on March 2nd (Sunday). You can catch all the action live as it happens from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with Fox broadcasting the event.

2024-12-13 17:02