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.

Colton Herta has consistently schooled his Andretti teammate 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
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?

 

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