Rinus VeeKay’s 2025 IndyCar hopes were in tatters when it was announced that he would be replaced at Ed Carpenter Racing by Alexander Rossi.
He’s yet to find another opportunity on the grid, competing against drivers with lots of sponsorship backing for a scarce amount of seats.
But he hasn’t given up on next year yet and is set on finding a drive with one of Juncos Hollinger, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, PREMA or Dale Coyne Racing.
The Dutchman is a consistent performer and race-winner – something which is hard to find in any talent at the age of just 24, so surely someone will snap him up?
How Rinus VeeKay came about a ‘smart idea’
IndyCar headed to Indianapolis last week for an autumn test, handing the opportunity for some drivers to get embedded within their new teams.
That included Christian Lundgaard at McLaren, the aforementioned Rossi at Ed Carpenter, and a surprise newbie at one team.
There are just two teams left that haven’t decided on either of their drivers – Juncos and Dale Coyne, and the latter provided VeeKay with an opportunity to show his credentials.
Speaking on the Speed Street Podcast with Conor Daly, VeeKay discussed how he came about the shock test.
“I knew the test was happening, so I thought it was a smart idea, given my situation to go to Indianapolis and just show my face and arrange some meetings. Try to get in the conversation.”
Who is VeeKay competing with for a drive?
Whilst he may be the premiere free agent driver on the market, VeeKay still has a lot of competition to contend with.
Starting with Romain Grosjean, the former Formula 1 driver was offered a deal to remain with Juncos Hollinger but decided to take some time before making a decision.
Clearly, he is unsure of his next move, but if he is to remain in IndyCar, you have to imagine that a full-time offer will be tabled somewhere.
The likes of Jacob Abel and Jamie Chadwick are hunting for opportunities after their Indy NXT seasons, but it’s unlikely that they’re in the frame.
So that leaves Sting Ray Robb, Jack Harvey, maybe Augustin Canapino, Valtteri Bottas from Formula 1 and maybe even the recently available Daniel Ricciardo.
Someone, somewhere, should be prepared to take a punt on the Dutchman’s services, even if it’s just for one year.