IndyCar: Could Alex Palou’s replacement continue a strange trend?

Will a recent IndyCar rookie trend serve as an indicator as to who might replace reigning champion Alex Palou at Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023?

This year’s IndyCar silly season has been the craziest in recent memory, and it remains highlighted by the Alex Palou situation. Both his current team, Chip Ganassi Racing, and McLaren announced that they had signed the 25-year-old Spaniard for the 2023 season.

Palou responded by saying that the Chip Ganassi Racing press release was not authorized by him and that he intends to compete for McLaren next year, though the specific series was not revealed.

But Chip Ganassi Racing reportedly have team options in Palou’s contract for not only 2023 but 2024, and ongoing litigation will ultimately determine where he is and isn’t allowed to compete next year.

If it turns out like most expect and Palou is not behind the wheel of the #10 Honda next year, who will replace him?

Rookie David Malukas has recently emerged as a contender following several solid performances, most notably his runner-up effort at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

He does currently have a deal with Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports, since HMD Trucking his owned by his father Henry, and they reiterated earlier this weekend that this deal runs through at least next season.

But HMD Motorsports are also reportedly keen to promote soon-to-be Indy Lights champion Linus Lundqvist to IndyCar next year.

Honda isn’t capable of supplying an extra engine to support a Dale Coyne Racing expansion from two to three cars. So assuming Takuma Sato doesn’t retire, is loaning Malukas out to a contending team in Chip Ganassi Racing really as far-fetched as it once might have seemed?

If it does happen, it could continue a very interesting trend.

After each of the last three seasons, the Rookie of the Year has remained with his current team, but the rookie runner-up has moved to a new team for year number two.

In 2019, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist won the Rookie of the Year award with a sixth place finish in the championship standings. Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta finished in second in the rookie standings with a seventh place finish.

While Harding Steinbrenner Racing had a technical affiliation with Andretti Autosport at the time, Herta officially moved to Andretti Autosport in 2020, with his entry classified as an Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport entry.

The 2020 Rookie of the Year was Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay, who finished in 14th place in the championship standings. Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh’s Alex Palou finished in second in the rookie standings with a 16th place finish.

Palou was unexpectedly called upon by Chip Ganassi Racing to replace the Arrow McLaren SP-bound Rosenqvist in 2021, and he emerged from seemingly out of nowhere to win the championship.

In 2021, Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin won the Rookie of the Year award with a 14th place finish in the championship standings. Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing’s Romain Grosjean, who only competed part-time, was the second highest finishing rookie in 15th. Grosjean moved to Andretti Autosport in 2022 as the full-time replacement for Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Here is a condensed look at what has happened over the last few years.

2019

• Felix Rosenqvist (6th), Chip Ganassi Racing: stays at Ganassi
• Colton Herta (7th), Harding Steinbrenner Racing: moves to Andretti

2020

• Rinus VeeKay (14th), Ed Carpenter Racing: stays at Carpenter
• Alex Palou (16th), Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh: moves to Ganassi

2021

• Scott McLaughlin (14th), Team Penske: stays at Penske
• Romain Grosjean (15th), Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing: moves to Andretti

Christian Lundgaard, who currently leads the rookie standings by five points over Malukas, isn’t going anywhere, as he recently re-signed with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Could Malukas be on the move to Chip Ganassi Racing?

Of course, the rookie battle is far from settled; Malukas still might end up winning. But could he also become Dale Coyne Racing’s third straight rookie runner-up — through a third different partnership, no less — to end up at a new team for his sophomore season?

Malukas has admitted that he would be happy to stay at Dale Coyne Racing in 2023, and it seems as though that’s what the team are currently planning on. But despite having a multi-year deal there through his father’s team, he also admitted that there are “different options” that are “hush hush” for next year, and if there is ever a silly season to never say never, this is it.