IndyCar: Marco Andretti becomes a partner in his #98 Honda entry

By Asher Fair | Nov 2, 2018

SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Marco Andretti driver of the #98 Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Honda during qualifying for the Verizon IndyCar Series Sonoma Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

Andretti Autosport have announced that Marco Andretti has become a partner in the #98 Honda that he is set to drive in the 2019 IndyCar season.

Marco Andretti, the son of 1991 CART champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of four-time IndyCar champion Mario Andretti, has driven for Andretti Autosport, the IndyCar team owned by his father, since his IndyCar career began in the 2006.

In mid-August, the 31-year-old Nazareth, Pennsylvania native signed a contract to continue driving for Andretti Autosport through the 2019 season and beyond with U.S. Concrete as his primary sponsor for several races.

This past season, Andretti drove the #98 Honda fielded by Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian for the first time following a seat switch with Alexander Rossi, who took over the driving duties of the #27 Andretti Autosport Honda that Andretti previously drove, and he is set to continue to do so for at least a few more seasons.

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However, in addition to driving the #98 Honda for the second consecutive season in 2019, Andretti has now become a partner in the #98 Honda entry, as he has made a long-term investment both in his racing career and in his future involvement in racing as a whole.

Starting in the 2019 season, which is set to be Andretti’s 14th consecutive season driving for his father’s team, the #98 Honda that he is set to drive is set to officially be entered by Andretti Herta Autosport with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian.

Here is what Andretti had to say about his investment in the #98 Honda entry, according to IndyCar.

"“I’m happy and proud to invest back into the team that I have been with for 13 seasons and counting. I truly believe this is the best team out there and I’m looking forward to a fun, competitive future with the U.S. Concrete No. 98 family.”"

Here is what Michael Andretti had to say about his son’s investment, according to IndyCar.

"“I’m proud to see Marco looking beyond the racing seat and taking a vested interest in not just his car entry, but the future of motorsport that can one day take him beyond his driving career. Marco has many driving years ahead of him and many victories yet to come, but is continuing to see the big picture of racing and that will in turn make him a stronger competitor all around.”"

Andretti Autosport’s other two drivers aside of Andretti and Rossi are Zach Veach and Ryan Hunter-Reay. They drive the #26 Honda and the #28 Honda, respectively.

Over the course of Andretti’s IndyCar career, he has started in 217 races. In fact, he has started in 217 consecutive races, which is the third longest streak of its kind in IndyCar history. The two victories that he has earned so far in his career came in the race at Sonoma Raceway in the 2006 season and the race at Iowa Speedway in the 2011 season.

Aside to these two victories, Andretti has earned 18 additional podium finishes, the most recent of which being his third place finish in the race at Auto Club Speedway in the 2015 season. He has finished as high as fifth in the championship standings, which he pulled off in the 2013 season.

Andretti has started five races from the pole position over the course of his career. He most recently did so in the first of the two races of the streets of Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan this past season.

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How will Marco Andretti’s investment pay off? Will it make a difference in his performance and perhaps propel him to his first victory since the 2011 season? Will it lead to him becoming a team owner in IndyCar once his driving career is over?

The 2019 season is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 10, 2019 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, so be sure not to miss it to see how Andretti performs in his first race as a partner in the #98 Honda entry that he drives.