PORTLAND, Ore. — One Swede leaves, another one comes in — that’s the story at Chip Ganassi Racing as Stockholm’s Linus Lundqvist has signed a multi-year contract to compete for the team in the NTT IndyCar Series.
The announcement was made at 10 a.m. (ET) on Thursday and comes one week after Marcus Ericsson of Kumla, Sweden, signed a multi-year contract with Andretti Autosport beginning in 2024.
Ericsson had been the driver of the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda at Chip Ganassi Racing from 2020 through the end of the 2023 season. Ericsson won the 106th Indianapolis 500 in 2022 with CGR.
Lundqvist won the 2022 Indy NXT championship for HMD Racing with Dale Coyne last season.
“Joining Chip Ganassi Racing is an absolute dream come true for me,” said Lundqvist. “Stepping up to race full-time in the NTT IndyCar Series, and to do so with one of the most successful teams in the history of the championship, is the moment I’ve been working for throughout my career.
“It is hard to explain how much this means to me. I am incredibly grateful to Chip (Ganassi), Mike (Hull, CGR managing director) and to everyone who has backed me on this journey, including of course my family.”
Lundqvist will be embedded with the Chip Ganassi Racing team for the final two races of the season as he prepares for the next step in his career.
“It’s terrific that the opportunity to hire Linus, a proven winner, plus the reigning 2022 Indy Lights Champion is now a reality at Chip Ganassi Racing,” said Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull. “He has shown that his on-track performance creates the race craft separation that’s required in IndyCar today. Growing together with Linus is what comes next.”
Lundqvist dominated throughout the 2022 Indy Lights season, clinching the championship by a margin of 92 points after earning five wins, nine podiums and seven pole positions. He made his series debut in 2021, where he finished third in the points standings with three wins, 11 podiums and three pole positions.
Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Lundqvist previously won the 2020 Formula Regional Americas Championship, the 2018 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship and the 2016 Formula STCC Nordic Championship.
After winning the 2022 Indy Lights championship, Lundqvist made the jump to compete in three IndyCar races this season with Meyer Shank Racing. Lundqvist set the fastest lap time among all drivers in two of his first three races in the series.
“I have dipped my toes into IndyCar racing in recent weeks, which will give me a little bit of a head start going into 2024,” Lundqvist said. “Coming up through Indy Lights has provided me with some important experience that will help me get up to speed.
“Having said that, this is an entirely new challenge as I prepare to join an established top team at the highest level of the sport. I know there is a lot of hard work ahead, but having a team like Chip Ganassi Racing put their trust in me is the greatest motivator I could ever have. I intend to do everything in my power to grab this opportunity and I look forward to all the moments ahead, next year and beyond.”
Lundqvist made his IndyCar Series debut in the Aug. 6 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix and was impressive with an 11th in qualifying. He was also fast in practice and the race. However, his race ended when he crashed in the Turn 11 wall nine laps from the finish.
He started and finished 12th the next race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Aug. 12 and made his oval debut this past weekend at the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Lundqvist started 12th and finished 18th.