IndyCar: Marcus Ericsson to drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in 2019

Marcus Ericsson is set to move from Formula 1 to IndyCar as the replacement for Robert Wickens at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in the 2019 season.

Marcus Ericsson, who has driven in Formula 1 since the 2014 season and has driven for Sauber (now Alfa Romeo Sauber) since the 2015 season, lost his Formula 1 ride for next season a few weeks ago.

Sauber rookie Charles Leclerc was announced as Kimi Raikkonen’s replacement at Scuderia Ferrari for the 2018 season, at which time Raikkonen signed a two-year deal to return to Sauber, the team for which he drove in the 2001 season, his rookie season.

Because Leclerc was Ferrari’s selection to drive for Sauber for this season, as Ferrari have the right to choose one of the Swiss team’s two drivers because of Sauber’s title sponsorship deal with Alfa Romeo, and Raikkonen was not Ferrari’s selection, Raikkonen technically replaced Ericsson, who was Sauber’s selection for this season.

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This was confirmed when Sauber announced that Antonio Giovinazzi was Ferrari’s selection for their driver lineup for the 2019 season, officially leaving Ericsson without a ride.

However, the 28-year-old Swede is still set to drive next year, but not in Formula 1. Instead, he is set to compete in IndyCar for the first time in his career.

Ericsson is set to drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in the 2019 IndyCar season as the replacement for the injured Robert Wickens, who was paralyzed from the waist down following a nasty wreck during the race at Pocono Raceway in August.

Ericsson is set to drive the #7 Honda, which was fielded full-time by Schmidt Peterson Motorsports prior to Wickens’s arrival this past season. Wickens drove the #6 Honda while the #7 Honda was only fielded for Jay Howard in the Indianapolis 500.

Here is what Ericsson, who is set to become James Hinchcliffe’s teammate, had to say about the opportunity to drive the #7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda in the 2019 IndyCar season, according to IndyCar.

"“It’s a great honor to be picked as one of the drivers at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and INDYCAR for the 2019 season. It feels like a perfect step for me and my career after five years in F1. I can’t wait to start work with SPM and all the people in the team, which I’ve heard a lot of good things about. They’ve had some great success over the years, and I’m looking forward to work hard to continue and improve on that path.“The racing in INDYCAR looks great and I feel really excited to be part of it in the future. It will be a lot to learn, including new tracks, oval racing, etc. I know it won’t be easy, but it’s a challenge I’m very much looking forward to and I can’t wait to get started.”"

Here is what Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ co-owner Sam Schmidt had to say about Ericsson joining the team for the 2019 season, according to IndyCar.

"“Ric (Peterson) and I are excited to welcome Marcus to the team. He has a ton of experience racing in the top levels of motorsports, so we believe that he will be able to contribute to our development program that began in earnest in 2018.“While the circuits on the INDYCAR schedule will be brand new to him, particularly the ovals, we have a lot of confidence and trust in his eagerness to learn along with his work ethic. We think he and James will be a good fit to push one another and fight for those wins.”"

Ericsson has driven in 95 races over the course of his Formula 1 career. He has earned 11 top 10 finishes, of which six have come through the first 19 races of this season. He failed to finish any races in the top 10 in three of his first four seasons.

Ericsson’s career-high finish in Formula 1 is his eighth place finish in the 2015 Australian Grand Prix. He finished in a career-high 18th in the driver standings in the 2015 season. He currently sits in 17th in the standings with top finishes of ninth in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the German Grand Prix and the Mexican Grand Prix so far this season.

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How will Marcus Ericsson perform in his rookie IndyCar season in 2019? The season is set to get underway on Sunday, March 10, 2019 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.