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IndyCar: Will Patricio O’Ward drive for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2019?

By Asher Fair

SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Patricio O'Ward, driver of the #8 Harding Racing Chevrolet, on track during pracrtice for the Verizon IndyCar Series Sonoma Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images)
SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Patricio O'Ward, driver of the #8 Harding Racing Chevrolet, on track during pracrtice for the Verizon IndyCar Series Sonoma Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images) /
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Patricio O’Ward no longer has a full-time ride for the 2019 IndyCar season. Will he end up driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing this year?

Patricio O’Ward was set to become a full-time IndyCar driver for the first time in his career this year, as he was set to drive for Harding Steinbrenner Racing following his championship-winning 2018 Indy Lights season during which he earned nine victories, 13 podium finishes, 15 top four finishes and 17 top seven finishes in 17 races driving for Andretti Steinbrenner Racing.

The 19-year-old Mexican made his IndyCar debut in the 2018 season finale at Sonoma Raceway, and he did so driving the #8 Harding Racing Chevrolet. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Harding Racing and Steinbrenner Racing would form a partnership for the 2019 season and field two cars on a full-time basis.

O’Ward was set to drive one of those cars, the #8 car, which was set to become a Honda-powered car after the team announced their manufacturer switch from Chevrolet to Honda a few months later.

However, after rumors emerged that Harding Steinbrenner Racing may not have the funding to run two cars on a full-time basis in the 2019 season, O’Ward left the team and now no longer has a ride lined up for him with less than four weeks to go until the season is scheduled to begin.

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Will O’Ward end up driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the 2019 season?

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s full-time drivers for the 2019 season are set to be Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato, just like they were last season. Last June, Rahal signed a five-year contract extension to continue driving for the team through the 2023 season, and last September, Sato signed a contract to return to the team for the 2019 season. But last summer, there were talks that the team could potentially field three cars on a full-time basis in the 2019 season. Nothing more has been said about the matter since that time, but it hasn’t been ruled out.

O’Ward clearly has the talent to perform at a high level no matter what team he drives for. His fifth place qualifying effort for the 2018 season finale at Sonoma Raceway and his ninth place finish in this race were Harding Racing’s best qualifying effort and finish, respectively, of the season, and by quite a large margin as well.

Harding Racing’s top starting position and top finishing position of the season were eighth and 13th, respectively, not including O’Ward’s starting and finishing positions at Sonoma Raceway. Keep in mind the fact that he recorded these impressive performances in just his first career IndyCar race weekend.

The 2018 season was Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s first season as a two-car team since the 2013 season when they fielded cars for Rahal and James Jakes. They have not been a three-car team since the 2006 season when they fielded three cars for Danica Patrick, Buddy Rice and Jeff Simmons.

But the fact that they recently made the move to become a two-car team again and the fact that they haven’t ruled out becoming a three-car team means that this could very well change this year.

Add to this the fact that O’Ward earned a $1 million scholarship by winning the 2018 Indy Lights championship, guaranteeing that he will compete in at least three races throughout the 2019 IndyCar season, including the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500, which is scheduled to be held on Memorial Day Sunday.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing fielded an additional entry for 2015 Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot for three races in the 2016 season, including the Indy 500.

While they have already confirmed that Jordan King is set to be their third driver in the Indy 500, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them add O’Ward not only for three races like they did for Pigot but as their third full-time driver.

Only time will tell.

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Will Patricio O’Ward end up driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the 2019 IndyCar season? If so, will he drive for the team on a full-time basis? If not, for which team will he drive, and will he drive for that team on a full-time basis? The offseason between the 2018 and 2019 seasons is winding down, so expect to know the answers to these questions relatively soon.