With IndyCar approaching the halfway point of its season with the ninth race of the 17-race schedule this coming Sunday (July 2) at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, not only is the championship battle heating up, so too is something else.
Namely, Silly Season.
In other words, fans, media and even members on various teams are all starting to wonder which drivers are at risk of not returning to their current teams after the 2023 season concludes.
We’ve already seen one driver change: Conor Daly was released by Ed Carpenter Racing nearly two weeks ago, replaced by former IndyCar series champ and Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Here are several drivers whose rides after this season may be in jeopardy unless their season’s turn around rather quickly:
Felix Rosenqvist
Currently sits 12th in the standings, Rosenqvist is a talented driver and deserves to remain with Arrow McLaren. But he could ultimately be the odd man out when Alex Palou jumps from Chip Ganassi Racing after this season to Team McLaren. It’s still unclear whether Palou will race for McLaren in Formula 1 in 2024 or if he races for Arrow McLaren in IndyCar. If it’s the latter, unfortunately, Rosenqvist could be a victim of the numbers game: not enough cars left for him.
Graham Rahal has not won an IndyCar race since a doubleheader weekend sweep at Belle Isle in Detroit in 2017.
Graham Rahal
It’s hard to believe Bobby Rahal’s son would move to another team after 11 years of driving for dear old dad. But father has not signed son to a new deal, and with each passing week that a contract is not offered, Graham’s future may not be tied to the family business. Rumors already have the younger Rahal, currently 17th in the standings, potentially returning to Andretti Autosport in 2024, or maybe returning to Chip Ganassi Racing to replace the departing Alex Palou after this season.
Then again, with Jack Harvey also expected to be leaving Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after this season, it may be Graham ultimately winds up staying right where he is with potentially a new two-year contract.
Devlin DeFrancesco is 25 races into his IndyCar career and he’s still looking for his first podium finish.
Devlin DeFrancesco
Mired at 23rd in the current standings, the Canadian driver has been a major disappointment at Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport, with his best finish in 25 starts between last year and to-date thus far this season just 12th place (twice), with five of those 25 starts ending up in wrecks. Rumors have DeFrancesco may already have a new home for next season: Dale Coyne Racing.
Jack Harvey is 25th in the NTT IndyCar Series points standings.
Jack Harvey
Sometimes, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and Harvey is a perfect example of that axiom.
Harvey left Meyer Shank Racing after the 2021 season – even with a bigger contract offer to stay where he was at – to join Rahal Letterman Lanigan. But the 30-year-old English driver, currently 25th in the 2023 IndyCar standings, has been a dismal failure. His best finish to date with RLL has been a 10th-place showing (last summer in Nashville), with this season’s best showing to date being 13th at Long Beach. Sad as it may be to say, Harvey is going to be hard-pressed to find another IndyCar team to drive for in 2024.
Sting Ray Robb jumped over 2022 Indy NXT champion Linus Lundqvist to get the ride with Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing.
Sting Ray Robb
Sure, SRR reportedly brought money with him to subsidize his ride in 2023 with Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing, essentially knocking Linus Lundqvist out of an IndyCar ride, even though Lundqvist has more talent and more success in open-wheel racing than Robb.
And while you’ve gotta love Robb’s enthusiasm, it doesn’t quite match up with the 21-year-old’s ability behind the wheel. Robb is currently ranked 27th, with five finishes of 20th or worst and a best overall showing just of 16th in his IndyCar debut in the season-opening race at St. Petersburg, Fla., in March. Robb might need to go back to IndyNXT (formerly Indy Lights) for at least another couple more seasons before he gives IndyCar another shot.
Helio Castroneves, Simon Pagenaud
Simon Pagenaud is currently outside the top 20 in points.
As hard as it may seem to believe, don’t be surprised if Meyer Shank Racing shakes up its driver lineup by releasing either Helio Castroneves, who won the 2021 Indy 500 in his first start for MSR, or Simon Pagenaud after this season.
Both drivers are in the final years of their current contracts and have struggled dismally in 2023: Castroneves is 20th, Pagenaud is 21st. The 48-year-old Castroneves has failed to earn another podium since his win at Indy in 2021, and his best finish thus far this year has only been 10th (Texas). The 39-year-old Pagenaud has earned just one podium at MSR (runner-up in 2022 Indy GP), but has started to show some promise in the last two races, finishing 13th at Detroit and 14th at Road America, his best finishes since ninth last year at Nashville.
Follow Autoweek contributor Jerry Bonkowski on Twitter @JerryBonkowski
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