IndyCar: The unusually deep rookie class of 2019

The IndyCar rookie class of the 2019 season is unusually deep and features several drivers who could easily make huge impacts right away.

The 2019 IndyCar rookie class is perhaps one of the most talented and deep rookie classes if not the most talented and deep rookie class that the sport has seen in quite some time. A total of four rookies are set to compete full-time in the sport this season, and they are all in positions to potentially make big impacts.

In fact, it is not hard to imagine any one of these four drivers getting to victory lane at least once throughout the 17-race 2019 season, which is scheduled to begin this Sunday, March 10 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Given the backgrounds and past experiences that each of these four drivers have had, it seems fairly safe to say that the battle for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award will be an intense one and that the championship battle may even feature a rookie or two (or more) who not many people expect to be immediate championship contenders.

Let’s have a look at each of the four rookies who are set to make their respective debuts as full-time IndyCar drivers in the 2019 season.

NOTE: These drivers are sorted by alphabetical order.

Marcus Ericsson

Marcus Ericsson is one of the two rookies who have never competed in an IndyCar race before. The 28-year-old Swede is set to replace the injured Robert Wickens at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports as the full-time driver of the #7 Honda, as the #6 Honda that Wickens drove is reserved for if and when he returns. He is set to become the teammate to James Hinchcliffe.

Ericsson has competed in several series over the course of his racing career, including Formula BMW UK, the British Formula 3 Championship, the All-Japan Formula 3 Championship, the GP2 Asia Series, the GP2 Series and GP2 Final. Most notably, he drove in Formula 1 from the 2014 season through the 2018 season. He drove for Caterham in the 2014 season and he drove for Sauber from the 2015 season through the 2018 season.

Santino Ferrucci

Santino Ferrucci has made twice as many IndyCar starts as the other four rookies combined. The 20-year-old Woodbury, Connecticut native is set to become the full-time driver of the #19 Dale Coyne Racing, as he is set to replace last season’s part-time drivers of the car, Zachary Claman DeMelo and Pietro Fittipaldi.

Colton Herta

Colton Herta made his IndyCar debut in the 2018 season finale at Sonoma Raceway behind the wheel of the then #88 Harding Racing Chevrolet. He is set to return to IndyCar in the 2019 season as the as the full-time replacement for Gabby Chaves behind the wheel of the #88 Harding Steinbrenner Racing Honda.

The 18-year-old Valencia, California native finished in second place in the Indy Lights championship standings in the 2018 season, which was his second season as a full-time driver in the sport, after earning four victories and an additional nine podium finishes throughout the 17-race season. In his IndyCar debut, he qualified in 19th place and finished in 20th.

Felix Rosenqvist

Felix Rosenqvist is the other rookie aside of Marcus Ericsson who has never competed in an IndyCar race before. The 27-year-old Swede is set to replace Ed Jones at Chip Ganassi Racing as the full-time driver of the #10 Honda and become the teammate to five-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon.

Rosenqvist has competed in several series over the course of his racing career, including the Asian Formula Renault Challenge, Formula Renault 2.0 Asia, Formula Renault 2.0 Sweden, Formula Renault 2.0 NEZ, the German Formula 3 Championship, the Formula 3 Euro Series, the Formula 3 European Championship, Formula Acceleration 1, Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, Super Formula and Super GT. Most notably, he competed part-time in Indy Lights in the 2016 season and earned three victories in 10 races, and he competed full-time in Formula E in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons and earned three victories.

On a side note…

Patricio O’Ward

Patricio O’Ward also made his IndyCar debut in the 2018 season finale at Sonoma Raceway, and he did so driving the then #8 Harding Racing Chevrolet. He was originally set to return to IndyCar in the 2019 season as the full-time driver of the #8 Harding Steinbrenner Racing Honda, which was not driven full-time by anybody in the 2018 season, but he and the team parted ways a few weeks ago.

The 19-year-old Mexican won the Indy Lights championship in the 2018 season, which was his first season as a full-time driver in the sport, after earning nine victories and an additional four podium finishes throughout the 17-race season. In his IndyCar debut, he made it into the Firestone Fast Six and qualified in fifth place before going on to finish the race in ninth.

While he still does not have a ride lined up for the 2019 season, it is still a possibility that O’Ward could compete in eight or more races throughout the season, potentially driving for Andretti Autosport. Even if he does not compete in all 17 of the season’s races, he could be a force to be reckoned with if and when he does compete throughout the year.

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Which of these four drivers will end up winning the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award when the 2019 IndyCar season concludes, and where will they all finish in the final 2019 championship standings?

The 17-race season is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 10 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. Be sure not to miss this race or any of the other 16 races on this year’s schedule.