Rumor: Kirkwood to replace Herta in No. 26 Andretti IndyCar
Rumor has it that 2021 Indy Lights Champion Kyle Kirkwood will replace Colton Herta in the #26 Andretti Autosport IndyCar next year if Michael Andretti completes a deal to buys 80% of the Sauber Alfa Romeo F1 team as rumored. If not, Herta will remain in the #26 Gainbridge IndyCar in 2022.
If Andretti takes 80% of the Sauber team it is expected that he will take his best IndyCar driver, Colton Herta, to Formula 1, making him the first American to race in F1 since Andretti’s other IndyCar driver, Alexander Rossi.
Rossi participated in five races in 2015 for the back marker Marussia team. But Andretti realizes that Herta is the better driver than Rossi, hence if all this comes down as rumored, it will be Herta, not Rossi, that Andretti takes to F1.
Last Updated October 9, 2021
| 2022 IndyCar Silly Season Page |
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| Team | Engine | No. | Driver | Primary Sponsor | Rating | Comments |
| AJ Foyt Racing |
Chevy |
4 | Dalton Kellett | K-Line | Strong | |
| 14 | Sebastien Bourdais | ROKIT | Speculation | Indy 500 only. IMSA full-time in 2022 | ||
| 14 | Tatiana Calderon | ROKIT | Speculation | Could replace Bourdais | ||
| 11 | Charlie Kimball | Tresiba | Speculation | |||
Andretti Autosport |
Honda |
25 |
Stefan Wilson | Lohla Sport | Speculation | Indy 500 Only |
| 26 |
Colton Herta | Gainbridge | Strong | Signed, but Andretti rumored to be taking him to F1 | ||
| 26 | Kyle Kirkwood | Gainbridge | Speculation | If Herta moves to F1 | ||
| 27 | Alexander Rossi | NAPA and AutoNation | Fact | Signed | ||
| 28 | Romain Grosjean | TBA/Miami Breeze Car Care | Fact | Replaces RHR. | ||
| 29 | Devlin DeFrancesco | PowerTap Hydrogen and Indy Lights Money | Strong | Awaiting announcement. Somewhat depends on what Andretti does with Kirkwood | ||
| Arrow McLaren SP | Chevy | 5 | Pato O’Ward | Arrow | Fact | Signed |
| 7 | Felix Rosenqvist | Arrow | Fact | Signed | ||
| 6 | Juan Montoya | TBD | Speculation | Indy 500 only | ||
| Carlin Racing | Chevy | 59 | Max Chilton | Gallagher Insurance | Strong | Likely to re-sign |
| TBD | Dan Ticktum | TBD | Speculation | F2 driver gives up on F1 dream | ||
| Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 8 | Marcus Ericsson | Huski Chocolate | Strong | Likely to re-sign |
| 9 | Scott Dixon | PNC Bank | Fact | Signed | ||
| 10 | Alex Palou | NTT Data | Fact | Signed | ||
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Carvana | Fact | May run full season | ||
| Dale Coyne Racing w/Rick Ware Racing | Honda | 18 | Ed Jones | Sealmaster | Strong | Likely to re-sign |
| 51 | Takuma Sato | Panasonic? | Strong | Replacing Romain Grosjean | ||
| 52 | Ryan Norman | Koinu Inu Cryptro | Speculation | |||
| 52 | Cody Ware | TBD | Speculation | |||
| Dreyer Reinbold | Chevy | 24 | Sage Karam | Wix | Strong | Indy 500 Only |
| 67 | JR Hildebrand | Salesforce | Strong | Indy 500 Only | ||
| Ed Carpenter Racing |
Chevy |
21 | Rinus Veekay | Sonax | Fact | Signed |
| 20 |
Ed Carpenter | US Space Force | Fact | Ovals Only | ||
| Nico Hulkenberg | TBD | Speculation | Road and Street Only | |||
| Conor Daly | US Air Force | Strong | Looking for $ | |||
| Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevy | 77 | Callum Ilott | TBD | Fact | Signed full season |
| Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 60 | Simon Pagenaud | AutoNation and SiriusXM | Fact | Penske may cut him loose |
| 06 | Helio Castroneves | TBD | Fact | Signed | ||
| TBD | Kyle Kirkwood | AutoNation and SiriusXM | Speculation | Would bring Lights Championship $1.3 million for part-time 3rd car | ||
| Paretta Autosport | Chevy | 16 | Simona De Silvestro | TBD | Strong | Indy 500 Only |
| Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Honda | 15 | Graham Rahal | United Rentals | Fact | Signed |
| 30 |
Christian Lundgaard | TBD | Strong | Has given up on F1 dream | ||
| 45 | Jack Harvey | HyVee | Strong | Leaving MSR to fill team’s 3rd full-time car for 2022 | ||
| Santino Ferrucci | HyVee | Speculation | ||||
| Team Penske | Chevy | 2 | Josef Newgarden | Hitachi | Fact | Signed |
| 3 | Scott McLaughlin | Shell, PPG | Fact | Signed | ||
| 12 | Will Power | Verizon | Fact | Signed | ||
| 22 | Kyle Larson | HendrickCars.com | Speculation | Indy 500 Only | ||
| Top Gun Racing | Chevy | RC Enerson | US Navy? | Fact | Indy 500 Only? | |