8/24/2023 0 Comments Helio castroneves leaves penske![]() Palou won the season opening race and led the season standings 12 of 16 weeks to become the first Spaniard to win an Ind圜ar title and its youngest champion since 2003. The youth movement hit with Alex Palou at 24 the oldest of four young, new winners. ![]() There's a crop of young drivers waiting for promotion from Indy Lights, and this Ind圜ar season proved to be a true changing of the guard. There's a lot more movement expected, with Ryan Hunter-Reay available and the status of several other veterans undetermined. Oliver Askew ran the final three races for what will be a fulltime entry next year for a driver who has yet to be identified, and its unclear if two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato will return or possibly replace Romain Grosjean at Dale Coyne Racing. Harvey has not said where he's going but it's widely believed to be Rahal Letterman Langian, which hasn't named two of its three drivers for next season. MSR started in 2017 with Harvey and three races, steadily built its program each year and next season will field two cars with a lineup that now boasts an Ind圜ar championship, five Indy 500 wins and 46 victories. It's very exciting to be able to be part of this now.” And then when Helio won, it showed the capabilities of the team. “Even before Helio won Indy I could see that Jack Harvey was running very well and that team was really making great progress. I enjoy working with Helio, we work together very well, and I have seen Meyer Shank really grow. "My time driving for Team Penske was incredible but that's come to an end now and this really seemed to be the best fit for me. ![]() “I love Ind圜ar and there is no doubt that this is where I want to be, this is where I want to race,” Pagenaud told The Associated Press. Shank has one of the top teams in IMSA and Pagenaud would be the obvious choice for an expanded Rolex 24 lineup, but more important, the chance to run the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ironically, Pagenaud will probably still end up driving a sports car. He was already talking to just about every team in the paddock but the opportunity with MSR didn't arise until Jack Harvey made the surprise decision to leave the team he'd helped build. When Castroneves won the 500 in May, that looked pretty darn good to Pagenaud. Castroneves returned this season in a six-race deal with Meyer Shank that catapulted him to his record-tying fourth Indy 500 victory and an expanded fulltime second car next season. But like Castroneves, he wants to be in Ind圜ar. Pagenaud was likely headed toward that same path if he returned to Penske. That came just after Castroneves had won his first series championship after two decades driving for The Captain. Penske moved the Brazilian in 2018 to IMSA as a key part of that program, and although he still ran the Indy 500, when the sports car team closed three seasons later he had no ride at all. ![]() The last time Penske rebuilt its sports car program it cost Castroneves his job in Ind圜ar. Pagenaud also could have stayed, and maybe he would have if Penske wasn't in the process of returning to IMSA sports car racing in 2023. Keselowski wanted an ownership stake, something Penske couldn't offer so he looked elsewhere despite the option to extend his contract. He joins Brad Keselowski from the NASCAR team in the rare club of Penske drivers who leave of their own accord. 60 for Meyer Shank Racing, where he will reunite with former Penske teammate Helio Castroneves to drive for this year's Indy 500 winning organization. Pagenaud on Monday was named driver of the No. He was the second driver this season to walk away from Team Penske. He finished fifth in the Ind圜ar finale, said goodbye to his crew and walked through the garage with his arm wrapped around his wife's waist as she carried their headphone-wearing newborn, Marley. Seven seasons driving for Roger Penske.Īnd yet Pagenaud was climbing into his car for the last time. (AP) - Simon Pagenaud shared a quiet moment with his wife and infant son before his final ride of the season to reflect on his time with Team Penske.Īn Ind圜ar championship.
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