The IndyCar Offseason/Silly Season Thread

[IndyAndy]

We're about one month into the offseason now, & here is where - as best as I can find - things stand in regards to 2014 team/driver line-ups:

TEAM (# of full time cars in 2013): 2014 drivers (* new for '14/(r) rookie to IndyCar/___ open seat? )

Penske (2): Castroneves/Power/Montoya*
Ganassi (3): Dixon/Kimball/Kanaaan*/___
Andretti (4): Hunter-Reay/Andretti/Hinchcliffe/Munoz (r)
KV/SH (2): Bourdais*/___
Schmidt/Peterson (2): Pagenaud/Aleshin(r)
Panther (1): ___
RLLR (2): Rahal/___
Foyt (1): Sato
Fisher/Hartman (1): Newgarden
Carpenter (1): Carpenter (ovals) & Conway* (road/street)
Dale Coyne (2): Wilson/___
Dragon (2): ___/___
Barracuda (1): ___

ALOT of 'ifs' in this list ATM:

Ganassi is planning to run 4 cars next year: They did it in '12, so it shouldn't be a problem. This is obviously the "plum seat" currently up for grabs.

Panther is currently in a tussle with RLLR over the National Guard sponsorship $: Hence no driver announcements as of yet. It is suspected that they would prefer to bring Ryan Briscoe back.

The Foyt/Sato situation may not be as solid as once believed: Taku is reported to be looking hard at the new Formula E series.

Barracuda has stated that they hope to bring Hildebrand back for '14, plus run a second car if the funds can be found.

Dragon is the team that looks most likely NOT to answer the bell for '14, with rumors swirling that they will bolt the series completely to concentrate on their Formula E squad.

******

There are - obviously - a lot of drivers currently on the outside looking in. Among those with prior IndyCar experience (& not mentioned above) are:

Simona de Silvestro/EJ Viso/James Jakes/Tristian Vauteir/Sebastian Saavedra/Oriel Servia/Alex Tagiani/Luca Filippi/Stephan Wilson/Conor Daly/Ana Beatriz/Pippa Mann/James Davidson/Lucas Luhr/Katherine Legge

... and I suspect that we'll see AJ Allmendinger and Townsend Bell again come Indy.

2013 Indy Lights champion Sage Karam (he's only 18!!!) is also trying to find a home in IndyCar.

There has also been open speculation that Paul di Resta, who is currently without a seat in F1 for '14, is looking at IndyCar. For his part, di Resta says that his preference is to stay in F1, but he is wisely keeping his comments about IndyCar diplomatically pleasant - just in case.

 

[Retroram52]

You know Indy. I am surprised more people with money aren't bolting to F1 with plenty of slots for new teams and the list of drivers you posted who could be drivers there. The same could be said for Indy Car, I suppose. Both series have 22 cars on any given race. If somebody wants to get into racing and they have the cash, there are two series who could use additional teams. When Franchitti decides he wants be an owner, I am guessing he'll stay in Indy car until he gets the really big bucks and then I see him venturing over to F1.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

did Simona lose her ride?

 

[IndyAndy]

^^ Not sure if she's in a contract year & keeping her options open for now - or if KVSH are keeping THEIR options open for now. - It's certainly not uncommon for the mid-to-back of the pack squads to play that game until almost the last minute in Feb/March.

 

[IndyAndy]

Twin turbochargers are now mandated for next season.

www.crash.net

 

[Retroram52]

Sweet. With F-1 going to a smaller six next year, the IRL engine package might turn some heads.

 

[IndyAndy]

Ganassi brings Ryan Briscoe on board; moves TK over to Dario's former car:

www.indycar.com

Understandable move, & I'm happy for Ryan to get one more chance. That being said, I would have preferred for Chip to take a chance on a young up-&-comer.

 

[IndyAndy]

Well; it's finally officially official: Sato will stick with IndyCar & Foyt for 2014.

www.sbnation.com

Hopefully, we'll see a bit more of his early '13 season form next year, and a whole lot less of "take 'em out" Sato.

 

[Retroram52]

Indy, I read the article on the switch to twin turbos and it apparently was done because Chevrolet was killing Honda on power. Now Honda is behind the eight-ball and to think Andretti Autosport switched from Chevy to Honda. Sometimes I wonder what Mikie is thinking.

 

[IndyAndy]

My guess is that he's hoping that: 1) Honda will up their game, & 2) with Ganassi switching to Chevy, his team will now be the "flagship" Honda squad, getting preferential treatment - Even thought that sort of thing is not really supposed() to happen.

 

[IndyAndy]

Andretti Autosport revealed their 2014 cars yesterday. I know that it's not nearly the same thing as an F1 unveiling but, with one new driver & three cars sporting different liveries than last year, it's still something to whet our appetites as we wait for the season to begin.

Ryan Hunter-Reay's car:

Marco Andretti's car:

James Hinchcliffe's car:

Carlos Munoz's car:

 

[Retroram52]

Nice line-up. May be this year Marco will actually win some races and compete for a title instead just walking around with the Clint Boyer syndrome expecting people to kiss his feet.

 

[IndyAndy]

No breaking news here: Just a nice "fluff piece" on JPM getting settled in at Penske.

- And Sports Illustrated being unable to get the article's title right!

return to "Formula One" has JPM feeling young again

 

[bored at work]

I do like the sound of "Chap" Ganassi too.

 

[IndyAndy]

This article is from a blog site, so I'm a bit hesitant to call it "official" until I see an actual online newspaper/magazine pick it up, but...

Oriol Servia to RLLR

 

[IndyAndy]

The tussle over the National Guard sponsorship continues...

www.autoweek.com

 

[IndyAndy]

Mark Miles continues to beat the bushes in search of team/series sponsorship help:

indiana business journal

Was just reading comments over on the IndyCar forum site: I have to agree with those who contend that having a title sponsor just to say that you have one doesn't automatically make IndyCar better & more successful. I am content to see the 2014 season come & go without one if it means that Miles has the time to land the right one: A true "partner" who can bring a real benefit to the series.

 

[IndyAndy]

It's now official: RLLR has secured the National Guard sponsorship:

www.indycar.com

I hope that this helps the squad make a big jump in performance over last year.

*****

Also seeing growing chatter/rumors that a series title sponsor deal could be imminent.

 

[IndyAndy]

Sebastian Saavedra follows his 2013 teammate, Sebastien Bourdais, over from Dragon to KV for 2014:

Seb squared, v2.

His last chance to prove that he's not just another EJ Viso IMO.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Andretti Autosport revealed their 2014 cars yesterday. I know that it's not nearly the same thing as an F1 unveiling but, with one new driver & three cars sporting different liveries than last year, it's still something to whet our appetites as we wait for the season to begin.

Ryan Hunter-Reay's car:

Marco Andretti's car:

James Hinchcliffe's car:

Carlos Munoz's car:

Love that DHL!!