IndyCar: Updated Silly Season driver lineup for 2018

Dale Coyne Racing, Honda

Ed Jones has made it clear that he wants to stay with Dale Coyne Racing in the 2018 season, and that will likely end up being the case. Jones started off his rookie season hot, and he even finished in 3rd place in the Indianapolis 500. However, his production really started to decline after his teammate, four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais, was sidelined with an injury. Those struggles showed that he could still use some experience with a veteran teammate like Bourdais driving for a smaller team like Dale Coyne Racing before he pursues a top-tier ride. He definitely has the potential for a top-tier ride in the future.

Andretti Autosport, Honda

With Takuma Sato making his return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after one season with Andretti Autosport, that will leave the seat of his #26 Honda open. Having spoken with Zach Veach at Pocono in 2015, he said that the Andretti’s were “like family”, and this season, he stated that he was close to securing a full-time ride in the 2018 season, although he did not say with which team. Andretti Autosport certainly comes to mind, especially given the fact that he drove for the team for five seasons in the US F2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights series, and he had success each season. Veach going to Andretti Autosport next season has already been reported, although nothing has been 100% confirmed yet. Giving Veach a chance in the #26 car would be the right move with how hard he has worked to climb the Mazda Road to Indy ladder over the past several seasons.

The Fernando Alonso driver prediction wins the “just-here-so-I-can-say-I-told-you-so-if-it-happens” award. But here’s why it still may happen. Andretti Autosport had to have a reason to stay with Honda beyond retaining Alexander Rossi, although that may seem like a great reason now given how well he has performed at all types of tracks recently. And it probably isn’t the possible (and likely) addition of Zach Veach to replace Takuma Sato, either. That reason may be a large sum of cash from overseas that only a Formula One star like Alonso, who did drive in this year’s Indianapolis 500 for the team, could provide. All of the rides with top-tier Formula One teams are taken in the 2018 season, and Alonso isn’t exactly happen with his current situation at McLaren, even with their switch to Renault engines for next year. It’s hard to see IndyCar not welcoming him with open arms if he decides that he wants to come across the pond next year.