Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti has yet to put together a fourth IndyCar entry for 2024 and may alternatively only field three cars next year.
Andretti’s three-driver roster will include of recently signed Marcus Ericsson, current drivers Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood, according to the team owner who confirmed that he is committed to the plan at World Wide Technology Raceway.
However, he admitted that he might only be able to field three cars in 2024 but now Andretti wants to secure the necessary funding for a fourth entry.
Andretti was later questioned about his status regarding a fourth team for 2024 in an interview at Portland International Raceway.
“That is correct, we are still very much noncommittal,” Andretti told NBC Sports. “We are working on a fourth right now.
“To be honest with you, we really don’t know what we want to do yet. We hope to have an answer by Laguna Seca.
“There are a lot of things that go into a fourth car, not just sponsorship. We have quite a few different options we are looking at and see what the best one is that works for us.”
However, the answer is imminent, according to Andretti COO Rob Edwards.
“I would hope within the next 10 days to two weeks that we will decide what we’re doing there,” Edwards said in an interview.
“It’s getting close, but we’re not quite there yet.”
Despite the desire to scale back and concentrate on having a stronger and more competitive three-car operation, Andretti has been looking at new avenues to keep the fourth entry in the race thanks to additional funds coming to the team.
Sting Ray Robb, who campaigned for Dale Coyne Racing in the past season, was the subject of negotiations; however, the dialogue concluded before an agreement had been reached.
Another intriguing possibility involves former Andretti driver and co-entrant Bryan Herta running the fourth car as a satellite program with Tatiana Calderon as the driver through his championship-winning Bryan Herta Autosport team in collaboration with Beth Paretta of Paretta Autosport.
A previous key sponsor who supported IndyCar from halfway through the past decade through the end of the 2000s is alleged to be underwriting the car.
Although Edwards declined to explain further or name specific parties, he did concede that a BHA/Paretta/Calderon package was one of the options readily available to Andretti.
“I’d say that’s in the mix,” he said. “There are a number of different variations on the theme, but that’s certainly one of the options that’s been discussed.”
