Linus Lundqvist performed admirably during his first full season in IndyCar after gathering experience ahead of the season opener.
The Swedish driver learned from two very competitive drivers, Scott Dixon and the reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou.
Lundqvist stepped up to the championship after winning the Indy NXT championship last season, which was good preparation for IndyCar.
He scored two podiums this season at Barber Motorsports Park and a very impressive drive to third place on the oval at Gateway.
He told the IndyCar YouTube channel that there was one race where Lundqvist thought his career was over and he would go back to Sweden.
Linus Lundqvist thought ‘career-over’ after crashing at Nashville in 2023
Lundqvist won the Indy NXT championship and made his IndyCar debut on the streets of Nashville in 2023 for Meyer Shank Racing.
The Swedish driver performed well over the weekend as he learned a new circuit. He was very close to finishing the race but crashed with 10 laps to go.
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It was a tiny mistake with significant consequences, but the MSR driver’s pace was enough to impress the paddock.
The 2023 Indy NXT champion thought he wouldn’t have a chance to compete in IndyCar again, and he would return to Sweden.
He said: “We ended the race in the wall. I thought in that moment that I blew everything, my once-in-a-lifetime shot. I couldn’t move anymore. That’s it. Career over. Go back to Sweden, go back to school, go back to high school. I never finished it.
“I was going through all the emotions. And then after the race, they said, Okay, well, we still think you did a good job, so we want you to do Indy. I was like, All right, that’s good. So we did Indy, and that went well.
“And then after that, obviously a lot of interest from other teams, what the future was going to bring. And I was able to sign a contract with Ganassi, which was an unbelievable moment for me.”
Linus Lundqvist performed impressively well on ovals this year
Ovals are a very unique aspect of the IndyCar championship, and they can be difficult to adjust to, even for drivers from the Road to Indy.
Lundqvist gathered knowledge on ovals last season after racing at Gateway to 18th place as he adjusted quickly over the weekend.
Palou is yet to win on an oval in IndyCar despite winning three championships since making his debut in 2020.
This highlights how difficult ovals are. Lundqvist is without a seat for next season and will have to look away from CGR as they have a confirmed three-car line-up of drivers.