DeFrancesco moving up to Indy Lights with Andretti for 2021

Taking the next step up in the Road to Indy ladder, Devlin DeFrancesco will join the 2021 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires field, as Steinbrenner Racing makes a return to Indy Lights competition with Andretti Autosport. Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport, who last fielded Colton Herta in the 2018 Indy Lights season, will return to Indy Lights competition with DeFrancesco behind the wheel of the No. 17 machine.

“I’m super excited to be back with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport for Indy Lights in 2021,” said Devlin DeFrancesco. “I think we had quite a successful Indy Pro 2000 season in 2020. Considering we have all the pieces for 2021 and Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport has an incredible history in Indy Lights. Mark Bryant, my engineer, had a lot of success in 2018 with Patricio [O’Ward] as well as INDYCAR experience with Andretti. I have a great team around me and can’t express how ready I am to get going.”

Entering his first season in the Road to Indy in 2020, DeFrancesco proved his skill collecting second in the Indy Pro 2000 championship. DeFrancesco captured two victories in dominating fashion, six podiums and three pole positions all tallying together to earn 2020 Rookie of the Year honors.

Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport is no stranger to success in the Road to Indy. First joining the “AAA”-equivalent ladder system in 2017, the Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport banner has collected six wins, including a Freedom 100 victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 10 pole positions and 20 podium finishes in Indy Lights prior to joining Indy Pro 2000 series in 2020.

“We are excited to get Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport back into Indy Lights with Devlin for the 2021 season,” said George Michael Steinbrenner IV, owner, Steinbrenner Racing. “We had a good amount of success in the Indy Pro 2000 series in 2020 with Devlin. We hope to build on that momentum and aim to field an entry comparable to the one Colton Herta piloted in 2017 and 2018.”

“It is great to have to Devlin make the next step up to Indy Lights in the Road to Indy program,” said J-F Thormann, president, Andretti Autosport. “Devlin had an impressive rookie campaign in Indy Pro 2000 and we are excited to see what he can do in an Indy Lights car. We are also thrilled to have Steinbrenner Racing back in the Indy Lights paddock alongside Andretti Autosport. Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport has a history of success in Indy Lights and we are proud to be back in the field.”

DeFrancesco will join the Andretti Indy Lights program in 2021 alongside teammates, Kyle Kirkwood [No. 28 Dallara] and Danial Frost [No. 68 Dallara], in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the season opener on March 5-7, 2021.