Rinus VeeKay has just been dealt a tough blow after being loyal to the team that he claimed his first IndyCar win with.
The Dutchman, who has been with Ed Carpenter Racing for five seasons, will not be retained by the outfit for 2025.
It leaves him scrambling to find an IndyCar seat for next season, with very few left on the market considering that the season has just ended and teams have already put their future plans into action.
It’s unknown whether he will end up on the grid in a full-time capacity, but it was certainly a shock to see that he wouldn’t be remaining with the team that he has never finished lower than 15th in the championship with.
Giedo van der Garde links ‘incredibly strong’ Rinus VeeKay to the Indy 500
Giedo van der Garde is a man who knows exactly what it is like to lose a race seat in top tier motorsport, having had a chance with Sauber ripped out of his hands in 2015.
He has backed his fellow countryman to return to the grid in some capacity during the 2025 season though, with his oval strengths set to intrigue a few teams.
But the Dutchman warned VeeKay of the difficulty of a return to racing after taking time away on the DRS: De Race Show on YouTube.
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“That’s what he’s used for of course [Indy 500]. I think he was already called yesterday – ‘Listen I have a spare car, would you like to come and drive with me?’
“Because he is really incredibly strong there. If you have a year off, I also know how if you are away for a year, that is just very difficult. How do you build your rhythm.”
Which few options are left for a 2025 drive?
We will find out who Ed Carpenter is replacing VeeKay with very soon, with an announcement expected on Wednesday.
They are likely to retain Christian Rasmussen, but his new teammate could be anyone from a large pool of talent.
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Juncos Hollinger Racing are another team yet to announce their line-up, with 2024 driver Conor Daly admitting that there are as many as 10 candidates for the cockpit.
So that likely rules VeeKay out of the Argentine-American outfit from a financial viewpoint, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan may be the same scenario.
It may also be too late for a push at PREMA, who are the newcomers for 2025 and have already signed Callum Ilott to one of their cars.