Felix Rosenqvist has finally had his future confirmed the day after the IndyCar season came to an end at the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville.
The Swede started the season looking like he could be a contender for the tip six in the championship, only for his car to lose pace as the events passed by.
Between Road America and the penultimate race of the IndyCar year at Milwaukee, he claimed eight top 15 finishes in 10 races – with only one of those results being a top 10.
It proves that he has both consistency and patience, as well as the ability to keep the car out of the wall, which is crucial for a team like Meyer Shank Racing.
Felix Rosenqvist did ‘everything’ Meyer Shank ‘asked of him’
Speaking to RACER, Mike Shank shared his delight at Rosenqvist’s steady progression which has helped the team to improve recently.
He’s spent six seasons in IndyCar now, so he knows how to navigate most circuits and extract the most from behind the cockpit.
He impressed so much that he has earned himself a bit of long-term security, after penning a multi-year deal with Meyer Shank.
READ MORE: Will Power explains why Alex Palou is such a ‘tough guy to beat’ after losing the IndyCar title
“We’ve extended him for a couple more years,” Shank said. “He did everything we asked of him. We, as a team, made a 30 or 40 percent gain in our performance this year.
“Between the two cars, we were in the top six in qualifying, if you include (the non-points) 15 times. Last year it was zero.
“The only thing we’re missing is the big finishes, but we’re getting there. And I’m confident with Felix here and this new deal we’ve got going for us, it’s going to start happening.”
Can Rosenqvist elevate his performance to new levels?
Ignoring a down year as McLaren adjusted to life in IndyCar back in 2021, Rosenqvist has scored a podium in every season that he has competed in.
Only once has he scored victory though – four years ago at Road America for Chip Ganassi Racing, in a season where he made the top five on only one occasion other than that.
It’s an area of improvement for him, and his boss has faith that the bigger results are on their way – with Meyer Shank’s one and only victory coming in 2021 with Helio Castroneves, could Rosenqvist be the next man to stand on the top step for them?
READ MORE: Will Power reveals major issue that could have ‘thrown him out of the car’ at Music City Grand Prix
With David Malukas out of the door, Rosenqvist will have a new teammate in 2025, and there are quite a few options for his boss in that regard.
He could go with youth or experience, considering that the Swede he already employs has an excellent blend of both.
Whichever way they opt to go, Meyer Shank has their best shot at glory next year if they can continue their rise through the pack.