IndyCar: Tony Kanaan tipped to return to A.J. Foyt Enterprises in 2020

Tony Kanaan has been tipped to return to A.J. Foyt Enterprises for the 2020 IndyCar season, likely in a part-time role, amid the team’s confirmation of Charlie Kimball.

A.J. Foyt Enterprises team president Larry Foyt confirmed Wednesday that Charlie Kimball is set to drive the #4 Chevrolet for the team on a full-time basis throughout the 17-race 2020 IndyCar season as the replacement for the IMSA-bound Matheus Leist.

This means that one of the team’s two cars has been solidified for the season. But what remains unconfirmed is the future of their other car, the #14 Chevrolet. 2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan has driven this car since the 2018 season.

As has been speculated for the last several months, now we know that the 45-year-old Brazilian is in position to return to the team in the 2020 season, although official confirmation has not yet been made.

Here is what Larry Foyt had to say about Kanaan returning to the team this year, according to NBC Sports.

"“I’m sure he will. We’ve been working together and getting everything buttoned up.”"

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What we don’t know, however, is to what extent Kanaan’s role will be with the team. More than likely, he will only be competing part-time, as it has been believed for several weeks that Kimball would be signed as their only full-time driver.

With the season scheduled to get underway in under two months, an announcement is not necessarily imminent, but it should still be made in the near future. Much of the delay may have to do with lining up the #14 Chevrolet’s other driver/drivers.

Kanaan, who is slated to enter his 23rd consecutive season of American open-wheel racing, would likely compete in at least the five oval races. There is no doubt that he would be tabbed for the Indy 500, and he already stated how excited he is to return to Richmond Raceway.

Two other names that have been discussed as serious candidates for the #14 Chevrolet are former Indy Lights driver Dalton Kellett and Sebastien Bourdais, who unexpected lost his ride with Dale Coyne Racing following the 2019 season.

Kellett reportedly has enough funding for a part-time ride while Bourdais would be limited anyway since he, like Leist, is set to compete in IMSA this year.

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What will Tony Kanaan’s schedule for the 2020 IndyCar season end up looking like behind the wheel of the #14 Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, and with whom will he share the seat throughout the six-plus months that encompass the season?