Rinus VeeKay is in the midst of a desperate hunt to keep his IndyCar career alive after being dropped from Ed Carpenter Racing.
The Dutchman showed a lot of loyalty to the American outfit over the course of five seasons, which included him taking his first win at the 2021 GMR Grand Prix.
But, he was replaced in favour of Alexander Rossi for the 2025 season, which has left him scampering to find a drive.
There aren’t many left though, and a combination of scarce supply and lots of competition means that it might be difficult for him to find an opening.
IndyCar paddock sees Rinus VeeKay as an ‘oval specialist’
VeeKay has an admirable record when it comes to oval racing, which is something he has excelled at with an Ed Carpenter team who are quite handy on that type of layout.
But he’s moving away from their stable now, which may challenge his credentials a bit more, even if he has led the fifth most laps of anyone in the last five Indy 500 races.
Speaking to the IndyCar website, he mentioned how his skills are viewed within the paddock after losing his seat.
“I might have created an opportunity,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of interest out there in the paddock, but there’s very little space.
“It’s such a weird off-year with all the contracts, but I kind of feel like I’m in (Palou’s) shoes when he was my age. But (I’ve got) an 80-race head start, which helps,” he continued.
“From what I’ve heard, people see me as oval specialist now. I think it kind of showed (at the IMS test) where I’m really good at this stuff.”
VeeKay compares himself to Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden
For a 24-year-old, VeeKay has a lot of IndyCar experience, and that’s something that nobody can take away from him.
It could prove to be a valuable tool when negotiating for a possible drive with the likes of Juncos Hollinger, Dale Coyne or Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
He even compared himself to reigning champion Alex Palou and two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden.
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“I really fit in with the group of Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden that I think I can call myself the seasoned veteran in INDYCAR.
“I think with a ride with the right people around me and the right material, I can be up there with those guys consistently.”