Callum Ilott and Juncos Hollinger Racing have agreed to part ways with immediate effect, leaving uncertainty for both about the 2024 IndyCar season.

Ilott joined IndyCar for the final few races of the 2021 season, after having driven in Formula 2 and served as a test driver for the Ferrari F1 team.

He headed up JHR’s return to the top level of IndyCar by running without a team-mate for a season, then by helping Agustin Canapino get acclimated to the series this past year.

That relationship is coming to an end, however, as Ilott and JHR have mutually agreed to part ways just one year into a multi-year contract.

“I want to extend my gratitude to Juncos Hollinger Racing for the opportunity to be part of their team,” said Ilott in a press release.

“I have immense respect for the organization, and our time together has been a valuable experience. I look forward to exploring new opportunities and challenges in my racing career.”

Ilott’s relationship with JHR has been less than perfect, with multiple instances of a breakdown in driver-team trust making their way out into the public eye.

There were also multiple incidents of fan abuse against Ilott from his team-mate’s fan base, with the passionate Argentinian fans threatening him over social media in response to on-track incidents.

The team is thought to be courting Romain Grosjean to fill the #77 seat, but an announcement has not yet been made for next season.

Similarly, no announcements have been made regarding Ilott’s future, although he has expressed desire to stay in the IndyCar paddock despite the dwindling number of available seats.

“While it is with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to Callum Ilott,” said Ricardo Juncos, co-owner of JHR. “I would like to express my gratitude to Callum for all of his efforts during his time with our team, and we deeply appreciate his contributions.

“We wish him the very best in his future endeavors. Callum has shown immense talent, and we have no doubt that he will continue to make his mark in the world of motorsport.”

Ed Carpenter has cited competition for engineers and other team personnel as part of the reason for his team scaling back to two full time IndyCar entries in 2024.

For the 2022 season, ECR effectively expanded from a two-car team to a two-and-a-half car team. Conor Daly and Rinus VeeKay were each given full season rides, along with Carpenter himself still running the oval rounds in a third car.

That arrangement persisted for the 2023 season, but will return to one full entry for VeeKay paired with a single entry shared between Carpenter and incoming rookie Christian Rasmussen.

Part of the reason for the arrangement is likely funding limitations on Rasmussen’s part, who is using scholarship money earned from his Indy NXT championship last year to help fund his entry into IndyCar.

But Carpenter outlined that there are other reasons he will be taking over the #20 for all oval rounds bar the Indianapolis 500, and a big one is the difficulty he’s had luring talented individuals away from other teams on the grid.

“Yeah, really a lot of it was just taking an assessment of where we were and how the year went, what went well and what didn’t, how do we take a step forward,” said Carpenter about his team scaling back.

“The series is so competitive now from top to bottom. For us, it was as much as anything about making sure we’re using the resources that we have with all of our personnel and cars and preparation and putting our best foot forward.

“We staffed up more last year for the third car than we had in the past, but that’s still probably less than what other two-car teams would average.

“As much as anything, we weren’t happy with how we performed last year overall. Doing the same exact thing again wasn’t going to be the ultimate fix.

“If we could have got enough additions into the team on all sides of things from engineering down through the mechanics, maybe we could have come to a different conclusion. The competition just isn’t on track, it’s off track as well. Very hard to get new people into the building and away from other teams.

“This is a solution that allows us to be more focused and hopefully come back stronger in 2024, which is the plan.”

The team’s plan leaves Rasmussen to run only the road and street courses, plus the Indy 500, for his rookie season.

Carpenter related that he would not be willing to let the young driver join another team for the oval rounds, but there is a small chance resources can be found to get him in his team’s car for more races in 2024.

“I would say it’s early enough that there’s always potential to add to the program that we have if the situation presents itself over time and we’re able to do that.

“Certainly the long-term goal is to have [Rasmussen] running a full-time schedule, so we’ll see how that develops. Right now, this is the plan.”

Ed Carpenter Racing has announced that Christian Rasmussen will make his IndyCar debut with the team for the 2024 season.

Rasmussen will drive the road and street courses for the #20 entry including the $1 million Thermal Club Challenge, and will also drive the team’s third car for the Indianapolis 500.

The 23-year-old is the most recent winner for the Indy NXT championship, which provides him a significant sum of money to help fund his ascension to IndyCar.

Rasmussen has also previously earned championships in USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000, the two steps on the ladder leading up to Indy NXT. In addition, he has competed in the LMP2 category in IMSA with Era Motorsports.

“I am very excited to join Ed Carpenter Racing for the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season!” said Rasmussen in the release.

“It is a dream come true and something I’ve been working towards for a long time now. I want to thank Ed Carpenter and Tim Broyles for the opportunity and I’m ready to get to work and show everyone what we can do!”

Team owner Ed Carpenter will drive the #20 for the oval rounds on the calendar, with the team reverting back to the formula it has utilized in years past.

Rasmussen has already completed a test with the team in September, running laps at the natural terrain road course of Barber Motorsports Park.

“Christian is a driver that has really stood out during his climb through the Road to Indy program and he showed his ability to be a real closer in the second half of his INDY NXT championship run,” said Carpenter

“He did an excellent job when we tested him at Barber Motorsports Park last month and showed that he is fully ready to take the next step into the NTT IndyCar Series.

“We are excited to add him to our lineup and we are anticipating a successful 2024 season!”

Rasmussen will race alongside Rinus VeeKay, who will be competing in his fifth IndyCar season with ECR.

The first race weekend of Rasmussen’s IndyCar career will come March 8-10 on the streets of St. Petersburg.

Juri Vips will remain with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for the 2024 IndyCar season, although how many races he will run remains an open question.

Team co-owner Bobby Rahal confirmed the news on Monday, saying that RLL has exercised its option to keep Vips with the team next year after he finished 18th and 24th in his only two IndyCar races this past season.

The 23-year-old Estonian driver drove the team’s #30 entry for the final two rounds of the 2023 season, and there was speculation that he would be announced as driver of that entry for next year.

Pietro Fittipaldi was announced as the full season driver instead, but Vips may still compete in a few races as RLL still tries to put together all the pieces needed to field a fourth car.

That process is not coming along as quickly as Bobby Rahal would like, but he is still hopeful that he will be able to field the fourth car for a few races to get Vips more seat time next season.

“Yeah, we exercised our option with Juri,” confirmed Rahal. “As I said before I don’t know when it was, several months ago. We see Juri as a long-term play as well.

“We’d like to run a fourth car. We’re not making as much progress on that as we would like. That’s certainly a hope. Maybe it’s only a selected number of races, maybe one, maybe it’s none. We’re not quite sure.

“There’s one thing we did know, is we wanted to keep Juri in our family. He did a great job for us in Portland and fab job in Laguna. It’s a shame chaos caught him at the start.

“All in all, very impressed with Juri. We certainly wanted to keep him within our organization.

“Certainly we’re not going to rush right into a fourth car for the reasons you mentioned. You’ve got to be prepared to do that, to do it correctly, to do it so that fourth car actually contributes going forward.

“I think we certainly saw some improvements last year. Obviously our poor performance in Indianapolis still is by far outweighing every other thing we did last year. I think we’re making progress on it already.

“The first thing, you’re right, we’ve got three [cars], and we’ve got three strong drivers in those cars. The first goal is to have them consistently run up front. We do that before we do anything else.

“But I do like the drivers that we have in terms of the entire lineup with Juri, obviously with Pietro [Fittipaldi], Graham [Rahal] and Christian [Lundgaard]. I think that’s a pretty strong driver lineup.

“Ganassi is running five cars. Andretti has run four cars. So people are doing it. We just have to make sure we’re in the position to do it and do it well.”

RLL fielded four cars for the first time for the 2023 Indy 500, bringing in Katherine Legge to drive the #44 entry.

Rahal said at the time that his team would only expand to four cars if it made sense to do so, and was adamant that the additional car did not play into the team’s poor performance at the historic race.

Even if he does not get much seat time next year, Vips will be working with the team to help them get a leg up on the competition as the series races with hybrid components for the first time.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has announced that it has hired Pietro Fittipaldi to drive the #30 entry for the full 2024 IndyCar season.

The 27-year-old Brazilian, and grandson of two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, will race alongside Graham Rahal and Christian Lundgaard for the upcoming season.

Fittipaldi has made nine IndyCar starts in previous years, earning his experience with Dale Coyne Racing in 2018 and 2021.

He had planned to run more races after his Indy 500 run in May of 2021, but was forced to take time off to recover from broken legs suffered in a WEC accident at Spa Francorchamps.

Once healed, he returned to sportscar racing and earned a spot as the current Haas F1 reserve driver.

Fittipaldi’s return to IndyCar will see him compete in the full 17-race season for the first time, as well as the Thermal Club exhibition race in March.

“It’s an honor to join a team of the caliber of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,” said Fittipaldi.

“With the experience I’ve gained over the last few years in F1 and other racing series, I am looking forward to the challenge of racing in IndyCar, one of the most competitive and versatile racing series in the world.

“I want to thank Mr. Rahal, Mr. Lanigan, and Mr. Letterman for the opportunity and their trust and confidence in me. I can’t wait to get started.”

RLL evaluated two drivers in the #30 after releasing Jack Harvey midseason, placing Conor Daly and Juri Vips behind the wheel in the final three races.

The intention was to find a driver that could take the reins for this upcoming season, but instead the team has called Fittipaldi over from his recent LMP2 sportscar campaign.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to have Pietro [Fittipaldi] join RLL as the driver of the #30 car,” said team co-owner Bobby Rahal.

“He has had previous experience in IndyCar in doing partial seasons with Dale Coyne Racing and impressively qualifying 13th at Indianapolis in 2021.

“I got to meet him then and since that time he has worked hard to become the reserve driver for Haas F1’s team. And from our discussions, I have been impressed with the maturity and experience that he will now bring to our program.

“I look forward to seeing what he can do over a full season of IndyCar competition in 2024.”

On Wednesday, IndyCar took to the Milwaukee Mile speedway for the first time in eight years for a tire test ahead of the series’ return next year.

Will Power and Linus Lundqvist turned laps around the historic oval, helping Firestone’s engineers determine the best compound to bring to the low-banked track.

IndyCar has a very long history with the Milwaukee Mile, which stretches back the CART and USAC days. But the series has not visited since the 2015 season.

Even though multiple changes have been made to the cars’ downforce package in that time, the track drove very similarly to how it did eight years ago.

“The track has not changed very much,” said Power, who has won one race at the track in 2014. “Felt very similar to when we last raced here almost 10 years ago.

“It’s a really cool oval because it’s low banking, which is good for our cars and really good for racing. Excited to be coming back.

“It felt exactly the same, of what I can remember. It’s a long time ago. It’s good. This series is so tough and competitive now, tougher than it was when we last raced here. I think the fans will be in for a real treat.

“Never know who’s going to win the races. It’ll be coming down to the wire of the championship as well, so it’ll be a big part of the championship, these two races.”

The Milwaukee Mile features long straights and corners with low banking, with the corners topping out at just 9.25 degrees, almost identical to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The double-header race event will come on the penultimate racing weekend for the 2024 season, placing a high priority on good performances at the venue.  

With the track feel being so similar to how it was years ago, the veterans of the series may have an advantage over the younger drivers.

The two races will be held on August 31 and September 1, with race length and start times yet to be determined.

Juncos Hollinger Racing has announced that Agustin Canapino will return to the team next season, driving the team’s #78 entry.

The Argentinian stock car driver turned open wheel racer completed his rookie season in IndyCar with JHR last year at 33 years old, with his best finishes being a set of 12th place efforts.

There was rumored to be quite a bit of uncertainty around Canapino’s return, with funding being the main concern.

But it appears that the small team has secured enough backing to be able to afford the tenured racer for another season, boosted in part by finishing both cars high enough in the points standings to earn the series’ Leader Circle funding for next year.

Canapino’s return will give him a chance to refine his skills and improve on what was a year spent getting used to cars and tracks that were entirely new to him.

“I am very happy to announce my continuation for 2024 in IndyCar with Juncos Hollinger Racing,” said Canapino. “Many thanks to Ricardo [Juncos] and Brad [Hollinger] for continuing to place their trust in me, and also to Hector Martinez Sosa, the Grupo Empresario Prieto and the INPROTUR for their support.

“After an incredible 2023 season, where we achieved good results, entered the Leaders Circle, and consistently delivered strong performances, all in my first year in a single-seater, I am filled with joy and motivation to have the opportunity to keep growing as a driver and contribute to the continuous and remarkable evolution of the team.

“For 2024, the mindset will be different. What was once filled with doubt and uncertainty will now be a relentless pursuit of improving day by day, seeking results and consistency in each race.

“Of course, we don’t forget that we are still a relatively new team competing against strong competitors, but we approach this challenge with the eagerness and hunger to aim higher every time. See you in St. Petersburg aboard the #78!”

Last season, JHR expanded to two cars for the first time, with Callum Ilott and Canapino behind the wheel of the two entries.

Ilott’s future has not yet been announced, and it is unknown if he will also be returning to JHR in 2024 in the team’s second entry.

The Briton was on the receiving end of a couple rounds of online abuse following racing incidents between him and his team-mate.

Those incidents did not sit well with Ilott, even though his team owner Ricardo Juncos mostly brushed the attacks off as common practice for South American sports fans.

The team will try to put those incidents behind it, however, and will focus on improving in the competitive IndyCar scene.

“Agustin’s incredible achievements on the track have not only exceeded our expectations but have also been a source of pride for our entire team,” said team co-owner Ricardo Juncos.

“His energy, dedication, and sportsmanship have united us and created a sense of camaraderie that is truly exceptional. We look forward to continuing this incredible journey together.”

Over the course of a couple days at the end of this past week, IndyCar’s two engine manufacturers Honda and Chevy put the latest iterations of their new hybrid system to the test.

After having completed tests on road courses, a simulated street course in the form of Sebring, and a short oval, the new system was finally given a run on the 2.5-mile oval of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Six drivers hopped behind the wheel with the new systems affixed, and up to four cars were on track at a time. In all 1,325 laps were turned around the famous track at speeds over 220 MPH.

They tested all aspects of the hybrid power system, including deployment and regeneration of the super capacitor, drafting techniques, and of course reliability of the system.

IndyCar officials were on site to participate in the testing of the components that are due to be implemented for the full 2024 season, as were many high-ranking engineers from both engine manufacturers.

Matt Niles, Senior Engineer at Honda Performance Development, is the project lead for HPD’s version of the hybrid components, and offered his thoughts on the tests so far.

“I think, yeah, we’re pretty set on where we are with the energy storage [capacity],” said Niles. “I think we’ve been finding out how all these different components survive in this environment.

“The vibration is unique. Also the temperatures that we deal with. We’ve been learning a lot about that. But I think going forward, a lot of it is really how we use the system and the parts and pieces we have, and how that’s regulated on track and how the drivers use it, how the engineers interface with it, how we go racing.

“That’s where we’ve been going through sort of street course at the short course at Sebring, we’ve been running short ovals, road courses, and now we’re here at this hallowed ground to see how it works here.

“We just kind of have to go back through all the data, start making some decisions on how we go to St. Pete.”

IndyCar’s implementation of hybrid components has been a long time coming, and was delayed for a couple years due to complications surrounding the pandemic.

The system is also unique among other racing series that have their own electrification components.

IndyCar devised a way to stick with its existing 2.2-liter engine, and placed the super capacitor energy store within the bell housing, which sits between the engine and the gearbox.

This allows for a direct attachment to the drivetrain, and also keeps the entire package small and light, which is crucial for an open wheel car.

Different levels of driver control have been tested throughout the development cycle as well, with every option from manual regen and deployment to fully automatic usage through software programming put through its paces.

When the driver is in full control of the system, the clutch pedal on the steering wheel is repurposed as the regen paddle, and a button on the front of the wheel deploys the stored energy.

The final decision about how the hybrid power will be controlled has not yet been made, but the goal for IndyCar officials is to get that finalized soon. And the goal for Honda and Chevy is to get the new components sent out to all the teams in time for them to have the system implemented at the first race in early March.

“I think to get all the teams have their hands on it, our goal is to have that before the end of the year,” continued Honda’s Matt Niles.

“I think getting all the parts and pieces in place by St. Petersburg is going to be a challenge. But that’s what we do here, is challenges. So we’re going to keep pushing ahead and get it done.

“We had [steering wheel] paddles on the car already. Using that for regen seemed like the natural thing to do. We had to do some software trickery to reassign the clutch paddle for use while out on track.

“But it seems like it could work, and that’s what we’re trying to figure out here today and tomorrow, is get the drivers out there together and see if we could get it to work in a pack.”

Although secretive, the two-day test was presented as successful. Drivers were able to drive in a pack, plan their regen strategies, deploy extra power for a pass, and all the things they expected to be able to do.

A couple of the drivers with the most experience testing the hybrid systems were part of the test at Indianapolis, with the two most recent series champions Will Power and Alex Palou providing their insight.

Alexander Rossi, Colton Herta, Marcus Ericsson, and David Malukas were also part of the test, and were able to give a wide range of feedback to the engineers directing the procedures.

The feedback from all sides was positive, and there was next to no downtime due to technical issues or repairs. Driver’s thoughts instead focused on the differences in driving techniques to fully utilize the hybrid power.

“I have to say, in qualifying, you’re going to be pretty busy on that first lap,” said Will Power describing how an Indy 500 qualifying run might proceed. “Pretty sure you regen on that lap, decide when you deploy.

“Between that, the weight jacker, switching the fuel slot, and the bars, yeah, pretty busy qualifying.

“As soon as you’re in the draft of someone [during the race], you’re going to be regenerating. Then you’re going to be trying to time that deploy of what you want to pass.

“Maybe you’re not going to get him and switch off and regen again, wait for a better run. I think that will be really based on how you’re running.

“Yeah, I think you’ll try to keep that tank full. Instead of hitting the limiter or lifting, you’ll grab the paddle to regen. Yeah, it will just be a constant changing thing.

“I think [IndyCar officials] are still playing with the rules, because you may have it where you have auto regen and deploy, but you also have the ability to pull the paddle. Instead of getting into the hard limiter in top gear, you use that as a regen tool.

“Yeah, it’s still a lot of stuff to go through. I mean, I have had a lot of miles in that thing. I think if you’re not having to pull that paddle [on the road courses], it would be an advantage because that is quite awkward on a road course to be grabbing that, hitting it every time out of a corner.

“I don’t think that will be the case. The last test we weren’t doing that. It was auto everything. I think they’re still kind of trying to understand how best to use it, which I think the best way to use it is to get the most out of it for lap time, which is using it as much as we can.

“At first, it’s going to be reliability.”

With four drivers running at a time without issue this past week, the next major goal is to have 10 cars on track at the same time.

Reliability is the number one goal for the system – teams would not be happy to have race retirements that are out of their control – and reliability is best tested with as many cars on track as possible.

A 10-car test, with 10 different teams on track at once, is currently scheduled for early December, and will represent a significant milestone towards the rapidly-approaching deadline that is the 2024 season opener.

For now, a bit of satisfaction as the system seems to have worked as expected while powering the cars for the unique demands of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

NASCAR champion Kyle Larson turned his first laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway behind the wheel of an IndyCar on Thursday in preparation for his Indy 500 run in May.

He climbed into the cockpit of the Arrow McLaren Chevy in the morning hours, and with officials and media watching on, effortlessly piloted the car to speeds he had not experienced before in his career.

Following on from yesterday’s trio of rookies completing their own orientation, Larson was able to follow the prescribed schedule without any issues.

He completed 10 laps each at 205 MPH and 210 MPH, then completed 15 laps above 215 MPH and was given approval from IndyCar to compete in this year’s upcoming Indianapolis 500.

Larson turned 72 laps in total, including installation laps, with his fastest circuit of the famous oval clocking in at 217.898 MPH.

Jeff Gordon, Rick Hendrick, and Tony Kanaan were all on hand to provide support for Larson’s first laps for the joint project between Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren.

Talking after the runs, the 31-year-old described how the experience was mostly what he expected and that his preparation made it easier to get up to speed.

“Yeah, it was fun,” said Larson. “It was mostly what I anticipated, in a way. The speed and the grip didn’t feel, thankfully, scarier than what I thought it might.

“Just how much the car wants to pull left and you have to fight it back to the right down the straightaways was something I didn’t expect. The way the wheel was a lot lighter than the simulator but still a little heavier than what I expected.

“Other than that, I thought it went really smooth. The pit road side of things is where I’ll have to work more on. Just the steering is so slow, you have to turn so far to get in and out if you’re coming around somebody. Getting used to the steering at the slower speeds will be something to get used to.

“Then just maximizing the apron, braking for pit road, stuff like that I think is stuff I’ll have to really focus on and work on. That way we’re maximizing potential.

“Overall, it was a great day. I felt like everyone at McLaren did a really good job of prepping me to make things easier to get up to speed. So thanks to everybody there. Glad to be through the day, and look forward to the open test in April.”

Larson plans to be the first driver since Kurt Busch in 2014 to attempt The Double, meaning he will run both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in the same day and will race for 1,100 miles if he finishes both.

Only four drivers have ever competed in both events in the same year, with Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon each completing the impressive feat multiple times between 1997 and 2004.

A lot of eyes will be on Larson in the coming months as he gears up to add his name to the list of drivers to have taken on the unique challenge.

Marcus Armstrong was one of three drivers that completed his Indy 500 Rookie Orientation Program on Wednesday, and he labeled the experience as ‘special.’

He took to the famous 2.5-mile oval at nearly 220 MPH in his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, running 93 laps and earning the approval of IndyCar officials to compete in next year’s Indy 500 with no restrictions.

Speaking after nearly four hours of on-track time, Armstrong described the feeling of racing around the banking at one of the most famous race tracks in the world.

“Yeah, it was special, honestly,” said Armstrong after his runs. “I didn’t know what to expect in many ways coming here. I’ve obviously done a few laps around Texas before. So having not a lot of oval experience, coming here, it’s not easy.

“It’s very high speeds, a lot of nuances to this track, a lot of details. So if I’m honest, I wasn’t nervous about doing it. It was more so just about trying to get the first run out of the way so we know what to do better next time.

“But, yeah, to drive on this circuit at proper speeds after phase three, I would say still it’s a long way off quali speed, but it was incredible, you know.

“I have watched this place since I was a kid. So to drive around here in anger at flat-out is pretty crazy. It’s pretty special.

“But I don’t really want to think about that when I’m driving because that’s never a good thing. I can reflect on it now, but when I was in the moment, it was quite smooth sailing,

“Not a lot of nerves, to be honest. But it was good to get this Rookie Orientation out of the way so we can sort of crack on when it all kicks off next year.

“It met my expectations, with honors, so it was a lot of fun. I must say it was perfect conditions. No wind, cold, and obviously our car was pretty rock solid today. So it wasn’t difficult circumstances. But yeah, I loved it.”

Armstrong rose through the European ladder system, including a three year stint in F2, and has had no prior oval racing experience.

He plans to contest the full IndyCar season next year, which means he will need to familiarize himself with the varied disciplines that the American open wheel series demands.

Armstrong officially completed his orientation in the morning session on Wednesday, and went back on track in the afternoon to complete more running at full speed.

The 23-year-old was happy to have the extra practice time available, and soaked up as much knowledge as he could in the time he had available.

“Yeah, [running again in the afternoon] was ideal, really,” continued Armstrong. “When they told us that we could do a few more laps after we finished the three phases.

“Obviously we’re fairly limited on tires, but it was enough to do quite a decent run. I think we got — yeah, we got quite a few laps in. I think the more laps the better. Especially when you haven’t driven here.

“Even if we are circulating at just flat out, every lap you are learning something.”

The first official practice sessions for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place the week of May 13, with the race itself scheduled for May 26.