The 2024 IndyCar championship is over, and yet again it was Alex Palou who came out on top, finishing off his third championship, second in a row, and in the process becoming the second-youngest ever to win three. But, given the court machinations that have gone on around the Spaniard over the last few years, where will he be driving in 2025? And what about the rest of the field? Let’s take a look at the state of play.
Let’s go through this in alphabetical order:
A.J. Foyt racing will retain Santino Ferrucci for 2025 after a successful 2024 saw the controversial young American finish ninth overall.
Andretti Global will retain Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson. Herta re-found some of the form he appeared to have lost in the wilderness of 2023 to finish as season runner-up, and while Kirkwood failed to follow up with more victories after his two in 2023, he improved overall to finish seventh. Ericsson had a difficult first year with Andretti, but the former Indy 500 winner is deemed worthy of another season.
Chip Ganassi Racing retains Alex Palou after its long legal battle to keep him – a fight which is still rumbling on as McLaren seeks to claim damages from Palou for the failed move. We absolutely expect Scott Dixon to be kept on, but he’s not done so yet.
McLaren keeps two of the drivers that raced for it in 2024. Pato O’Ward stays for another season in Papaya, a no brainer given just how far clear of his team-mates he was this year (94 points). Nolan Siegel was brought in mid-season and, while he has struggled a little, was always seen as a long-term project for the team.
At Meyer Shank, Felix Rosenqvist was considered such a success this year that he’s just been handed a new multi-year contract.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan racing will retain Graham Rahal, an outcome that seemed strangely remote just a few months ago given that he’s the son of team-owner Bobby Rahal. Graham had a pretty awful 2024, even hinting that his time at RLL might be over from time-to-time, but ended up electing to stay.
Finally, Team Penske retains the same driving lineup that has served it well for the last few seasons. A catastrophic weekend at Milwaukee saw Josef Newgarden drop from title contender to a lowly eighth-place finish by season end, but he took his second Indy 500 win in a row with a stunning late victory in May.
Will Power roared back from an off 2023 to being the only realistic title challenger to Palou by the end of ‘24, his title challenge stifled by the odd mix of his own team-mate and some seatbelts. Scott McLaughlin took three wins on his way to his best season in IndyCar – third for the second year in a row, but with 505 points despite being disqualified from the first round thanks to the Penske push-to-pass scandal.
David Malukas, the man around whom so much controversy and conversation swirled through 2024, much of it not really his own fault, will switch to A.J. Foyt Racing for 2025, replacing Sting Ray Robb.
Christian Lundgaard jumps from his home of the last three seasons, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, to make the step to McLaren, replacing the outgoing Alexander Rossi in 2025.
Callum Ilott raced for McLaren on and off in 2024, filling in for the injured David Malukas for the early rounds when his WEC commitments with Jota allowed. In 2025 he will be the first person to race for Prema in IndyCar as the junior formula legend makes its debut.
Well, Scott Dixon doesn’t, technically. But that’s about as likely to be the outcome as Chip Ganassi handing me the number nine car for 2025.
In more interesting circles, Alexander Rossi is currently without a drive. The 2016 IndyCar champion didn’t win a race in his two seasons with McLaren and leaves with disappointing finishes of ninth and tenth in the championship from what should have been a great pairing.
Kyffin Simpson and Linus Lundqvist are both currently out of contract at Chip Ganassi Racing. The team has made the public decision to drop from five cars to three in 2025, leaving only one seat realistically available for its remaining drivers for 2025. Given Lundqvist was the Rookie of the Year in 2024, he would be unlucky if Ganassi dropped him. Kyffin Simpson wasn’t too far behind, and seems to have impressed enough to be the frontrunner.
Marcus Armstrong’s future at the team seems in peril. Ganassi perhaps hoped for more from the Kiwi than a 14th place finish in his second full season. His history with Prema makes him a strong contender for the second seat at the Italian newcomers.
Conor Daly had a bit of a fairytale ending to 2024, after he stepped in to replace Agustín Canapino at Juncos Hollinger and finally clinched his second-ever IndyCar podium, eight years after his first. Rinus Veekay, Romain Grosjean and Pietro Fittipaldi are among the established IndyCar names currently without a 2025 contract, while rookies Théo Pourchaire, Christian Rasmussen and Tom Blomqvist are also without drives for 2025.
Chip Ganassi racing has one, Dale Coyne has both of its seats up for grabs, Ed Carpenter also has two, Meyer Shank Racing one seat, Prema one, Rahal Letterman Lanigan two, and Juncos Hollinger two.
Juri Vips raced once in IndyCar in 2024, and is in contention for a more permanent return in 2025. That showcases the pull that IndyCar has for drivers currently in the European junior ladder, requiring less personal sponsorship for entry and perhaps having a bit more space for younger drivers to make a name for themselves. So, expect to see plenty of names from Formula 2 and even Formula 3 being linked with drives, especially with Prema in IndyCar given how many junior drivers it will still be running into the new season.
Valtteri Bottas has been linked in recent weeks with a move, as inevitably has Kevin Magnussen – who has experience racing in the US after a season with Ganassi in IMSA. F3 driver Sophia Floersch was seen in the IndyCar paddock at the final race in Nashville.
Finally, Runaway IndyNXT champion Louis Foster will be looking at how to use the big cheque that came his way with that title to get his foot in the door in the big leagues.
The only real change is that the new 2.4-litre hybrid engines will be used in every race. The engine was introduced mid-season in 2024, to some mixed reviews, and will become standard in 2025. The chassis will remain the same Dallara DW12 that’s been in use since 2012, with the universal aero kit that was introduced in 2018.
Unsure in the UK right now, but you would hope that Sky will extend its rights to show the series again taking the local broadcast.
In the US, there’s a complete change for 2025. IndyCar has been shown on NBC, or an NBC-owned channel since 2009. But that deal ended at the end of the 2024 season and IndyCar signed a new multi-year deal with Fox Sports to begin at the start of the new season.
Team |
Engine |
Driver |
A.J. Foyt Racing |
Chevrolet |
14. Santino Ferrucci TBC. David Malukas |
Andretti Global |
Honda |
26. Colton Herta 27. Kyle Kirkwood 28. Marcus Ericsson |
McLaren |
Chevrolet |
5. Pato O’Ward 6. Nolan Siegel 7. Christian Lundgard |
McLaren/Hendrick |
Chevrolet |
17. Kyle Larson (Indy 500) |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
8. TBC 9. TBC 10. Alex Palou |
Dale Coyne Racing |
Honda |
18. TBC TBC. TBC |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
Chevrolet |
20. TBC 21. TBC |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Chevrolet |
77. TBC 78. TBC |
Meyer Shank Racing |
Honda |
60. Felix Rosenqvist 66. TBC |
Prema Racing |
Chevrolet |
83. Callum Ilott 90. TBC |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
Honda |
15. Graham Rahal 30. TBC 45. TBC |
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.
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