One day after publishing and then deleting a release announcing that Rinus VeeKay is set to drive the No. 18 Honda full-time during the 2025 IndyCar season, Dale Coyne Racing have confirmed the addition.
VeeKay spent the first five seasons of his IndyCar career competing for Ed Carpenter Racing, but he was replaced by 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi after the 2024 campaign.
The 24-year-old Dutchman, who has never been beaten by a teammate in points or in head-to-head race results throughout his entire Road to Indy and IndyCar career, is still Ed Carpenter Racing's most recent race winner, having won at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in May 2021.
VeeKay also qualified no lower than seventh place in five Indy 500 starts, a stretch which included three consecutive appearances on the front row.
Coyne confirms VeeKay; 2025 IndyCar lineup set
Dale Coyne Racing's addition of VeeKay solidifies their driver lineup for the 2025 season, and it solidifies the full-time lineup for the series. All 25 chartered cars – and all 27 full-time entries – are set to be driven by full-time drivers, a major plus for the series in year number one of the new charter system.
The team had previously confirmed that 2024 Indy NXT runner-up Jacob Abel is set to drive the No. 51 Honda, and after a year which saw them run a total of nine drivers in two cars, both of their cars are set to have full-time drivers in 2025.
The 2024 season was the first season since 2015 in which Dale Coyne's team did not have at least one full-time driver, and it was unsurprisingly their first season without a single podium finish since 2015.
Though they are one of the smallest teams on the grid, they have managed to secure at least one podium finish in all 11 seasons during which they have had at least one full-time driver since 2012.
Last year marked their first season since 1987 in which they failed to finish a single race inside the top 12. Back then, Coyne himself was still driving.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is scheduled to get the 2025 IndyCar season underway on Sunday, March 2 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. Fox is set to air the race live beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action!