Indycar News & Rumors. - Page 225

broadrun96 · 22 Jul 2021, 19:24 (Ref:4062742)

MP isn't one to make stuff up to stir the pot and draw hits. From the top of the article

"RACER understands MSR and Harvey were set to sign an extension, but an abrupt change in direction for the Briton has led the team to start a search for his replacement. Unrelated to the Harvey development, MSR has signed the Brazilian, who won MSR’s first race at 105th Indianapolis 500 in May, to contest the entire 2022 calendar with a new teammate in the sister MSR entry."

Sounds like Harvey got a better offer and changed plans as Helio was being signed for the team as well. Now he gets 06 seat and someone is going to be signed for the 60.

The question is what did Harvey get offered? RLL in place of part-time Ferruci? Could AMSP expand to 3 cars? Can't believe Andretti would poach him but stranger things have happened.

mstets · 22 Jul 2021, 19:30 (Ref:4062744)

I didn't think about AMSP. Could they have released Rosenqvist?

broadrun96 · 22 Jul 2021, 19:34 (Ref:4062745)

I would be surprised, he has done well and think he brings some money. And definitely not letting O'Ward go anywhere, Penske is probably the only team that could afford to poach him away. But that's a few years away

**bjohnsonsmith** · 22 Jul 2021, 20:04 (Ref:4062747)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

MP isn't one to make stuff up to stir the pot and draw hits. From the top of the article

"RACER understands MSR and Harvey were set to sign an extension, but an abrupt change in direction for the Briton has led the team to start a search for his replacement. Unrelated to the Harvey development, MSR has signed the Brazilian, who won MSR’s first race at 105th Indianapolis 500 in May, to contest the entire 2022 calendar with a new teammate in the sister MSR entry."

Sounds like Harvey got a better offer and changed plans as Helio was being signed for the team as well. Now he gets 06 seat and someone is going to be signed for the 60.

The question is what did Harvey get offered? RLL in place of part-time Ferruci? Could AMSP expand to 3 cars? Can't believe Andretti would poach him but stranger things have happened.

Harvey could go to Andretti Autosport. There is the AutoNation and Honda connection, plus Meyer Shank partnered with Andretti Autosport in the 2017 500, with Harvey driving.

**joeb** · 22 Jul 2021, 21:08 (Ref:4062758)

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee2

Has he been dropped or jumped ship?

I thought it might be bad for him when Helio thrashed him at Indy.

Good point, after reading the following posts as well as we reading the article it does sound like he was the one that left.

He never did get the results they expected, but he qualified very well the last couple years.

peebee2 · 22 Jul 2021, 22:03 (Ref:4062763)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstets

I didn't think about AMSP. Could they have released Rosenqvist?

Neither Rosenqvist or Harvey are known for bringing money.

broadrun96 · 22 Jul 2021, 23:00 (Ref:4062768)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Harvey could go to Andretti Autosport. There is the AutoNation and Honda connection, plus Meyer Shank partnered with Andretti Autosport in the 2017 500, with Harvey driving.

Maybe but it sounds like AutoNation is staying with the 60 car so not sure they would expand to cover the 60 and his car with Andretti. As before, stranger things have happened

macdaddy · 22 Jul 2021, 23:58 (Ref:4062773)

Could anybody provide me with a link to the interview mentioned in the article, with the 4 four-timers and Roger via video? Can't seem to find it.

**joeb** · 23 Jul 2021, 00:23 (Ref:4062776)

Quote:

Originally Posted by macdaddy

Could anybody provide me with a link to the interview mentioned in the article, with the 4 four-timers and Roger via video? Can't seem to find it.

Is this the one you were referring to?

https://racer.com/2021/07/21/four-ti...e-club-at-ims/

broadrun96 · 23 Jul 2021, 00:37 (Ref:4062782)

And now MP thinks Sato is on the hot seat at RLL

https://racer.com/2021/07/22/rll-eme...on-for-harvey/

mstets · 23 Jul 2021, 03:48 (Ref:4062794)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And now MP thinks Sato is on the hot seat at RLL

https://racer.com/2021/07/22/rll-eme...on-for-harvey/

On the one hand I can see that. I don't know why but it hasn't been often that both RLL cars have had the same pace (in qualifying especially) and Graham has most often been ahead. I don't know how much driver size impacts setups but Harvey is a much closer match to Graham physically than Takuma is. Taku has had some good drives this year and 10th in points is impressive given that the car hasn't often started near the front and has on occasion suffered from being put into the alternate strategy role.

I never worked in a two car (open wheeled) team, so these kind of questions are hard for me to evaluate. Do the drivers' physical differences really affect the setups, or is it more a case of their driving style and preferences being different? I ask because it seems to me that Sato has done a good job this year based on his results even though both team cars have struggled in qualifying.

If RLL lets him go I could see him going back to Andretti. Of their current drivers, only Herta has outperformed him this year.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 23 Jul 2021, 13:19 (Ref:4062847)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Maybe but it sounds like AutoNation is staying with the 60 car so not sure they would expand to cover the 60 and his car with Andretti. As before, stranger things have happened

AutoNation are also a primary sponsor for Andretti Autosport. Rossi driving an AutoNation liveried car this season, in the GMR GP at IMS.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 23 Jul 2021, 13:31 (Ref:4062848)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And now MP thinks Sato is on the hot seat at RLL

https://racer.com/2021/07/22/rll-eme...on-for-harvey/

Rahal and Sato are 9th and 10th in the drivers table, with 256 and 226 points a piece. The big difference, is Rahal's 3rd place in the second TMS race.

broadrun96 · 23 Jul 2021, 18:33 (Ref:4062894)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

AutoNation are also a primary sponsor for Andretti Autosport. Rossi driving an AutoNation liveried car this season, in the GMR GP at IMS.

And? I did not mention where else they were but rather MSR has stated the Autonation deal continues with the 60 car for 2022 "With Castroneves in place in the No. 06 Honda, the team also confirmed the primary sponsors of the No. 60 Honda will return as SiriusXM and AutoNation take part in a ‘Drive For Five’ program when the 46-year-old seeks his fifth Indy 500 win with the squad owned by Michael Shank and Jim Meyer." My only comment was directed at if they would expand to also cover Harvey's new seat with them. That has no bearing on whether they sponsored another Andretti car previously. If they were to leave Rossi to go further back in the field and cost Andretti money that doesn't seem like an Andretti plan to make money.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 23 Jul 2021, 18:45 (Ref:4062897)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And? I did not mention where else they were but rather MSR has stated the Autonation deal continues with the 60 car for 2022 "With Castroneves in place in the No. 06 Honda, the team also confirmed the primary sponsors of the No. 60 Honda will return as SiriusXM and AutoNation take part in a ‘Drive For Five’ program when the 46-year-old seeks his fifth Indy 500 win with the squad owned by Michael Shank and Jim Meyer." My only comment was directed at if they would expand to also cover Harvey's new seat with them. That has no bearing on whether they sponsored another Andretti car previously. If they were to leave Rossi to go further back in the field and cost Andretti money that doesn't seem like an Andretti plan to make money.

AutoNation currently have sponsorship deals with both Andretti Autosport and MSR, so if Harvey were to go to Andretti Autosport, there would be a continuity between the sponsor, teams and driver.

broadrun96 · 23 Jul 2021, 18:59 (Ref:4062898)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

AutoNation currently have sponsorship deals with both Andretti Autosport and MSR, so if Harvey were to go to Andretti Autosport, there would be a continuity between the sponsor, teams and driver.

But the point was would they TAKE money from one driver to another or ADD money. Whether they already sponsored anyone is completely immaterial to the question asked.

broadrun96 · 23 Jul 2021, 19:00 (Ref:4062899)

MP dropping a comment at the very end of the DCR/Vasser Sullivan article, it's a bit important for where others may end up.

"With DCR with Rick Ware Racing’s Romain Grosjean all but confirmed to drive for another team next season, DCR could return with a 100-percent changeover in full-time drivers for the third consecutive year."

https://racer.com/2021/07/23/changes...livan-and-dcr/

**bjohnsonsmith** · 23 Jul 2021, 19:16 (Ref:4062901)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

But the point was would they TAKE money from one driver to another or ADD money. Whether they already sponsored anyone is completely immaterial to the question asked.

Why is it immaterial? Surely, if they are already sponsoring someone and then taking or adding money from one driver to another, that will be a factor in their overall sponsorship budget?

mstets · 23 Jul 2021, 19:31 (Ref:4062904)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

MP dropping a comment at the very end of the DCR/Vasser Sullivan article, it's a bit important for where others may end up.

"With DCR with Rick Ware Racing’s Romain Grosjean all but confirmed to drive for another team next season, DCR could return with a 100-percent changeover in full-time drivers for the third consecutive year."

https://racer.com/2021/07/23/changes...livan-and-dcr/

I saw that too, hadn't heard it mentioned in the press previously. So Harvey to RLL and Romain to Andretti?

mstets · 23 Jul 2021, 19:56 (Ref:4062910)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Rahal and Sato are 9th and 10th in the drivers table, with 256 and 226 points a piece. The big difference, is Rahal's 3rd place in the second TMS race.

I think that the Indianapolis 500 was the more important race in comparing their seasons. Graham was looking like a sure top five before the wheel fell off. He should have scored at least 55 more points which would put him just a few behind Newgarden in the championship. Sato got 33 points at Indy versus 10 for Rahal. At Texas 2 Rahal only outscored Sato by 17 points.

Rahal has 7 finishes in the top 7, an 11th at RA, a 15th at St. Pete, and the Indy DNF. Sato has only 2 finishes in the top 7, 5 top 10s, and 5 finishes in 12th or lower. I still think he's performed reasonably well given the whole team's relatively poor qualifying. He surely has backers. Perhaps with both Coyne seats apparently opening he could land there.

broadrun96 · 27 Jul 2021, 12:49 (Ref:4063409)

Wow, so MP has some serious updates for Indy 2022

Seems like Grosjean is a lock for the 28 Andretti car and Honda factory affiliate driver role "The most interesting development I’ve heard goes beyond Andretti’s pursuit of the Frenchman. If they come to terms on a deal – and it’s said to involve a steep asking price – Grosjean would join Honda/Acura/HPD as a factory-affiliated driver in the same way Scott Dixon, Colton Herta, and Alexander Rossi have direct ties to the manufacturer. Assuming that deal gets done, don’t be surprised if we see Grosjean racing for Andretti in IndyCar and in one of Acura’s factory IMSA DPi programs in 2022 and beyond."

Hinch out of the 29 for an Indy Lights kid, Devlin De Francesco. Apparently everyone wants him including Penske having reached out. But also consider Askew and Kyle Kirkwood, current Indy Lights point leader.

He thinks Sato is out and Harvey leading candidate for that seat

https://racer.com/2021/07/26/pruett-...season-update/

**bjohnsonsmith** · 27 Jul 2021, 12:57 (Ref:4063411)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Wow, so MP has some serious updates for Indy 2022

Seems like Grosjean is a lock for the 28 Andretti car and Honda factory affiliate driver role "The most interesting development I’ve heard goes beyond Andretti’s pursuit of the Frenchman. If they come to terms on a deal – and it’s said to involve a steep asking price – Grosjean would join Honda/Acura/HPD as a factory-affiliated driver in the same way Scott Dixon, Colton Herta, and Alexander Rossi have direct ties to the manufacturer. Assuming that deal gets done, don’t be surprised if we see Grosjean racing for Andretti in IndyCar and in one of Acura’s factory IMSA DPi programs in 2022 and beyond."

Hinch out of the 29 for an Indy Lights kid, Devlin De Francesco. Apparently everyone wants him including Penske having reached out. But also consider Askew and Kyle Kirkwood, current Indy Lights point leader.

He thinks Sato is out and Harvey leading candidate for that seat

https://racer.com/2021/07/26/pruett-...season-update/

The Silly Season has truly begun.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 28 Jul 2021, 17:38 (Ref:4063644)

Grosjean to race his first oval.

https://racer.com/2021/07/28/grosjea...rst-oval-race/

fieldodreams79 · 31 Jul 2021, 15:18 (Ref:4064179)

Update on Robin Miller. Pretty powerful and heavy letter from the man himself.

https://racer.com/2021/07/31/miller-...-racer-nation/

I wish him the best.

NaBUru38 · 1 Aug 2021, 04:10 (Ref:4064357)

Indeed. He's an old man from an era long gone.

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