Conor Daly’s IndyCar future has been up in the air since the end of the 2024 season when he filled in at Juncos Hollinger Racing.
A good relationship with co-owner Ricardo Juncos helped to provide him with an opportunity in single-seater racing, and he grabbed it with both hands.
A podium at the Milwaukee Mile proved that he still has plenty left to give behind the wheel of an IndyCar and that he deserves a seat on the grid.
However, sponsorship is an issue for him, at a time when teams are searching for drivers with a bit of backing to fund their own opportunities.
Conor Daly needs $4 million for IndyCar drive
The 2025 IndyCar grid has effectively taken shape, however, there is the case of six more seats left to be solved at least.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan and PREMA have one opening each, while Dale Coyne and Juncos Hollinger Racing have two.
Drivers like Sting Ray Robb and Rinus VeeKay are front-runners for these opportunities, and now Daly has revealed how much funding he needs for another year in the series.
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“A lot of subscribers to actually become an IndyCar driver again. I don’t know how many subscribers like $3/4 million would equate to, but probably a lot.
“It’s not going to come from Twitch, but we’re going to make our effort. It would take 666,666 [subscribers] to basically have an IndyCar budget, that’s a lot!”
Who else is in the frame for an IndyCar drive?
As the driver landscape changes in various series around the world, there are many drivers who could be looking for an IndyCar opening that haven’t been mentioned yet.
Looking at Formula 1, the likes of Valtteri Bottas and Franco Colapinto could be in the frame, and maybe even Mick Schumacher too if he wants a full-time single-seater return.
Daniel Ricciardo although hesitant to join the series, may decide that he wants a racing return and give any one of the teams with openings a call.
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Daly is competing with these guys, as well as other veterans such as Jack Harvey, VeeKay, and Romain Grosjean.
That’s before assessing some of the younger talent too, with Jacob Abel and Jamie Chadwick having made their graduation aspirations clear this year.
It means that it could be a tough gig for Daly to secure, and the onus is on him to help secure some sponsorship if he wants to continue.