IndyCar: The seats still without confirmed drivers for 2021

It appears that IndyCar will have 25 full-time cars throughout the 2021 season, although several still lack confirmed drivers for the upcoming campaign.

The offseason between the 2020 and 2021 IndyCar seasons has surpassed its halfway mark, and the makeup of the 2021 grid in terms of how many cars will be run by each team appears to be set.

Now we just need to solidify all of the drivers.

After a total of 23 cars competed full-time throughout the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 season, that number is set to jump to 25 in 2021 thanks to Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske going from three to four cars.

Meyer Shank Racing have also expanded from one car to two, but the second car, which is set to be driven by Helio Castroneves, is only a part-time entry.

As we head into the new year, there are still six expected full-time entries for which drivers have not been officially confirmed by teams.

First, let’s take a brief glance at what we already know.

A total of 19 full-time entries have a total of 21 confirmed drivers so far. A.J. Foyt Enterprises have two entries, with Dalton Kellett set to compete behind the wheel of the #4 Chevrolet and Sebastien Bourdais set to compete behind the wheel of the #14 Chevrolet.

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Andretti Autosport have two as well, with Colton Herta set to drive the #26 Honda and Alexander Rossi set to drive the #27 Honda. Arrow McLaren SP also have two, with Pato O’Ward set to drive the #5 Chevrolet and Felix Rosenqvist set to drive the #7 Chevrolet.

Chip Ganassi Racing have four with five drivers, with Marcus Ericsson set to drive the #8 Honda, Scott Dixon set to drive the #9 Honda, Alex Palou set to drive the #10 Honda and Jimmie Johnson set to drive the #48 Honda in the 13 road and street course races and Tony Kanaan set to drive it in the four oval races.

Ed Carpenter Racing have two with three drivers, with Conor Daly set to drive the #20 Chevrolet in the road and street course races and team owner Ed Carpenter set to drive it in the four oval races and with Rinus VeeKay set to drive the #21 Chevrolet full-time. Meyer Shank Racing have one, with Jack Harvey set to return as the driver of the #60 Honda.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing also have two, with Graham Rahal set to drive the #15 Honda and Takuma Sato set to drive the #30 Honda.

Team Penske have four, with Josef Newgarden set to drive the #2 Chevrolet, Will Power set to drive the #12 Chevrolet, Simon Pagenaud set to drive the #22 Chevrolet and Scott McLaughlin set to drive a fourth Chevrolet.

Here’s what has not yet been confirmed: three Andretti Autosport entries, two Dale Coyne Racing entries and a Carlin entry.

It has been reported that Ryan Hunter-Reay will be back for another year with Andretti Autosport behind the wheel of the #28 Honda, but that has not been confirmed by the team, which plan to run five cars once again in 2021.

With Colton Herta set to move to the #26 Honda from the #88 Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport Honda, the #88 Honda does not have a confirmed driver. James Hinchcliffe has been and is still seen as the most likely option.

Additionally, whether or not Marco Andretti returns for another year behind the wheel of the #98 Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian Honda hasn’t been confirmed.

As for Dale Coyne Racing, things are beginning to look like the old days of them potentially entering opening race week without a confirmed driver lineup.

Alex Palou has left the team for Chip Ganassi Racing after one year behind the wheel of the #55 Honda, and Santino Ferrucci, who has been tipped to drive in 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series races for Our Motorsports in 2021, has not confirmed a return behind the wheel of the #18 Honda.

Could we see Charlie Kimball bring sponsorship to Dale Coyne’s team after one season at A.J. Foyt’s? And where might Oliver Askew go after being replaced at Arrow McLaren SP?

Carlin are expected to again run Max Chilton behind the wheel of the #59 Chevrolet in the road and street course races and the Indy 500 with Conor Daly behind the wheel for the other three oval races.

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The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is scheduled to get the 2021 season underway on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida on Sunday, March 7.