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IndyCar: One key puzzle piece left for 2019 full-time driver lineup

By Asher Fair

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 27: Ed Carpenter, driver of the #20 Ed Carpenter Racing Fuzzy's Vodka Chevrolet (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 27: Ed Carpenter, driver of the #20 Ed Carpenter Racing Fuzzy's Vodka Chevrolet (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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The full-time driver lineup is all but set for the 2019 IndyCar season, but there is still one key puzzle piece that may or may not fall into place before the season begins.

The 2019 IndyCar season is scheduled to get underway in just 16 days with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The full-time driver lineup for the 2019 season may very well be set, but this has not yet been confirmed.

As of now, there are 20 drivers who are set to compete in each of the 17 races on this year’s schedule, which is scheduled to run from Sunday, March 10 through Sunday, September 22.

More than likely, these 20 drivers will end up being the only 20 drivers who compete on a full-time basis throughout the season. Two of the teams that are committed to competing in more than just the Indianapolis 500, Carlin and Juncos Racing, have not yet solidified their driver plans, but both of them are unlikely to add an additional full-time driver at this point.

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Carlin have already confirmed that Max Chilton is set to drive the #59 Chevrolet on a full-time basis this season like he did last season, and they have confirmed that Charlie Kimball is set to drive the #23 Chevrolet like he did last season, but in only five of the season’s 17 races.

At most, Carlin will likely hire another driver or drivers to compete in the other 12 races on the schedule. RC Enerson appears to be the most likely candidate to drive for the team in at least some of these 12 races after testing for the team at Circuit of the Americas this past October and doing so once again last week.

Juncos Racing, meanwhile, still have not confirmed anything aside of the fact that Kyle Kaiser is set to drive the #32 Chevrolet, which he drove in four races last season, in the second race of the season at Circuit of the Americas. It is unlikely that they will even field a car in all 17 of the races on this year’s schedule.

The one puzzle piece pertaining to this year’s full-time driver lineup that has not yet fallen into place is Patricio O’Ward. The 2018 Indy Lights champion was set to drive the #8 Harding Steinbrenner Racing Honda on a full-time basis this season as the teammate to 2018 Indy Lights runner-up Colton Herta, but he and the team parted ways early last week.

Even though the 2019 season is scheduled to get underway in just over two weeks, there is speculation that the 19-year-old Mexican could still end up competing on a full-time basis this season, although this is unlikely.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing appear to be O’Ward’s most likely landing spot if he ends up competing on a full-time basis this season, but it is likely that he will end up driving for Andretti Autosport in eight of the season’s 17 races since that appears to be his fallback option. He drove for Andretti Autosport in his championship-winning rookie season in Indy Lights last year.

With all of this in mind, here is a list of the 20 drivers, likely the only 20 drivers, who are set to compete on a full-time basis in the 2019 IndyCar season.

A.J. Foyt Enterprises

Andretti Autosport

Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports

Carlin

Chip Ganassi Racing

Dale Coyne Racing

Ed Carpenter Racing

Harding Steinbrenner Racing

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Team Penske

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Be sure to stay tuned for more information regarding the plans of Carlin, Juncos Racing, and perhaps most notably, Patricio O’Ward for the 2019 IndyCar season over the course of the next two weeks or so. The season opener, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, is scheduled to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 10, so be sure to tune in to it. You can find the full 17-race 2019 schedule here.