There will be a lot of newcomers in this season’s IndyCar driver lineup. This will be a major storyline as we inch closer to the start of the 2018 season.
The 2018 IndyCar season is set to get underway in just over two months with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 11th. Headlining this season’s driver lineup are a number of young and inexperienced drivers, including several rookies.
There are three rookies who are set to drive full-time in the 2018 IndyCar season, and that number could increase with the Dale Coyne Racing still not having confirmed a full-time driver for the #19 Honda. There is also the possibility of Harding Racing adding a second driver.
But those three rookies don’t tell the whole story of how loaded the 2018 IndyCar driver lineup is with newcomers who don’t have tons of experience in the sport. Let’s have a look at these newcomers.
First off, there are the three confirmed full-time rookies. Matheus Leist, 19, is set to drive the #4 Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Zach Veach, 23, is set to drive the #26 Honda for Andretti Autosport after making his first two career starts in the 2017 season. Finally, Robert Wickens, 28, is set to drive the #7 Honda for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
Next, there are several other rookies who have been confirmed for part-time schedules. Jordan King, 23, is set to drive the #20 Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing in road and street course races. Jack Harvey, 24, is set to drive the #60 Honda for Michael Shank Racing in at least six races after making his first three career starts in the 2017 season. René Binder, 26, and Kyle Kaiser, 21, are set to drive the #32 Chevrolet for Juncos Racing four races each.
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Finally, there are several non-rookie drivers who don’t have much experience in the series who are returning to the series in 2018. Alexander Rossi, 26, is set to enter his third season in the sport and will drive the #27 Honda for Andretti Autosport. Max Chilton, 26, is also set to enter his third season in the sport and will drive the #59 Chevrolet for Carlin Motorsport.
Ed Jones, 22, is set to enter his second season in the sport and will drive the #10 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing. Spencer Pigot, 24, is set to enter his third season in the sport and his first as a full-time driver. He will drive the #21 Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing. Gabby Chaves, 24 is set to enter his fourth season in the sport and his second as a full-time driver. He will drive the #88 Chevrolet for Harding Racing.
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How will these drivers who don’t have tons of experience, if any, in IndyCar perform in the 2018 season? Where will the full-time drivers discussed in this article end up finishing in the championship standings? The season is set to begin in just over two months with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 11th.