IndyCar: Content Day 1 – Morning Overview
Good day from downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The NTT INDYCAR Series is using the next two days to create commercials and TV spots for the new TV partner, Fox, let the media talk with the drivers and kick off the 2025 season.
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren #5
Pato O’Ward started the morning with his interview, and his energy is contagious. The 25-year-old talked about the series possibly racing in 2026 in Mexico City. The young Mexican thinks it is the perfect market for IndyCar and believes the event would be fantastic.
“Yeah, I want to publicly state that I think what FOX and INDYCAR are doing is freaking phenomenal. Like the commercial that just came out with Josef was so well done. It’s fun. It’s edgy. It’s flirting with that line where people do get engaged and you’re like, hey, this is different.”
“I’m just excited to see what they come up with during the year.”
The 25-year-old talked about the series possibly racing in 2026 in Mexico City. The young Mexican thinks it is the perfect market for IndyCar.
“I will be very involved, and I want to be very involved. I want to make sure it’s a success. I want to finish that weekend and be like, wow.”
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global #27
Kyle Kirkwood came in his new sponsored driver’s suit, Chili’s, announced today for the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg.
Kirkwood was asked about the transition with Michael Andretti stepping back from the team.
“We only see it as positives within the team. Obviously, Michael is still around. It’s not like he’s vanished. I think he’ll still play a role in the team, and for us, obviously, I have that connection with not only Michael but with everybody on the team.”
“I think we’re excited to go forward. Obviously, Dan and Michael have a plan, and their plan seems to be coming together, so we’re excited.”
The American was asked about his chance to race in F1 with the new Cadillac F1 team in 2026. “I mean, only time will tell, but for me, of course, it would be of interest. But at the same time, I love what I do here in INDYCAR. It’s what I always aspired to be, was to be an INDYCAR driver. It keeps me in the U.S., and it keeps me at the place where I grew up. I was born and raised in Jupiter, Florida, and I still live in Jupiter, Florida, and I love that about INDYCAR is it keeps Americans at home at least.”
“It’s give and take in either direction. Of course I’m interested, but I wouldn’t be upset if I weren’t given the opportunity, if you understand.”
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing #60
Felix Rosenqvist got married in the off-season. The Swede is happy making a home in America and does not want to move back to his home country.
He is an alumnus of Prema Racing, and he was asked what he thought about their move to this series. ” I think they’ll do well for sure. They’re very serious with their program. I know them well enough that they wouldn’t take on this project if they didn’t want to do it properly. I think it’s one of the European teams that can actually do successfully, it would be them.”
“Saying that, I know it’s a tough challenge. I think they have a lot of tough challenges ahead of them. You need people. You need parts. You need relationships. Everything is new. It’s just a blank sheet of paper.”
Colton Herta, Andretti Global #26
Colton Herta will be making his 100th start at the Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg. In his seventh season, the 24-year-old was surprised by the stat. The American talked about how happy he was to finally win on an oval in Nashville.
“So that fills me with a lot of confidence because I don’t think our problem has really ever been the street courses, and for the most part, most of the road courses we were very good at.”
“But those ovals have kind of — for me, too, just haven’t been my best, and I think they started to show that they can be some of my best for this coming year.”
Disappointed by missing the championship last season, Herta was asked about going to F1 with the Cadillac Team. ‘ If it happens, it happens, great, and then I’ll have a decision to make, if I’m still wanted. If it doesn’t happen, then poor me, I’m stuck racing INDYCARs. I’ll be all right either way.”
Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global #28
The 2022 Indy 500 winner is starting his second season at Andretti Global. The Swede does not believe in bad luck, but last season was not a good season in anyone’s eyes.
” Last year was definitely a disappointing year results-wise for me, but I felt like I was laying a good foundation for this year, so I’m really excited to be back at Andretti for a second year with the same core group on my car.’
“Just to start off, every weekend, knowing what we did last year is going to be a big thing for us, and I feel like the potential is really high. Working with Colton and Kyle was great last year, two really good guys and good drivers, so to continue that and sort of keep that group together I think is going to be really important for us.”
“As a team, there’s a lot of good things happening in the background. I know how much effort has been put into the off-season to make us better in every aspect, so I can’t wait to get to St. Pete and get going.”
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing #9
Scott Dixon is starting his 25th season in IndyCars. The quiet driver does not boast about his accomplishments during his career. He was reminded that he will be making a record-breaking start this season, surpassing Mario Andretti.
“It was a long off-season. Not much driving, too, which was new. I think last year all of us kind of had a little bit more with the hybrid stuff, but yeah, I won’t drive the INDYCAR from Nashville to the open test the middle of February before we go to St. Pete.”
“But excited to get going. Excited to drive some IMSA cars, as well, as we get prepped for Daytona.”
Dixon has been working towards a record tying seventh championship. The Kiwi was asked about his reflection on last season’s performance.
“I think going over the last season, I think as a whole the team ran well. I think our short track oval stuff needed some attention. Road courses were okay. Street courses fundamentally as a group qualifying-wise wasn’t great. Race pace was decent.”
“We definitely have some big areas and some low-hanging fruit where I think we can make some big shifts and some big changes for a positive effect. Looking forward to that.”
Lucille Dust reporting live from Indianapolis