Andretti signs Rossi, Honda to multi-year contract extensions in INDYCAR

By Jul 27, 2019, 12:16 PM EDT
INDYCAR Photo by James Black
INDYCAR Photo by James Black
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STEAM CORNERS, Ohio – The most sensational combination in the NTT IndyCar Series will stay together for at least the next three years as Alexander Rossi and Honda both re-signed with Andretti Autosports.

The agreement was finalized Friday morning at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, site of Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. It will be publicly announced at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday.

Watch the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on NBC on Sunday at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

Team owner Michael Andretti has been working diligently with Pieter Rossi, the driver’s father and agent to get a multi-year deal completed by the end of July. But several other things had to happen before that could be finalized.

“We’ve been working hard on this, and I’m happy to see everything come together,” said Andretti Autosport Chairman and CEO, Michael Andretti. “Since 2016, we’ve built a strong relationship with NAPA AUTO PARTS – they’re such a natural fit for the series, Alexander and for the team and we’re pleased to be able to continue working with them into 2020 and beyond. We first met AutoNation through Ryan Hunter-Reay – and we can’t thank Ryan enough for his support and efforts in helping the continued growth of that relationship. It’s been exciting to see AutoNation grow within the sport, and to see them now welcome Alexander to their family is just great.”

The most important was reaching a new agreement with Honda Performance Development (HPD) to supply engines to the team. Honda wanted Rossi to sign a four-year deal instead of the standard two- or three-year agreement because Honda wants Rossi to be the lead driver in the development of IndyCar’s new engine 2.4-liter engine formula that is currently set to debut in 2021. The new engine platform will feature an increase to 900 horsepower.

The Rossi’s wanted a two-year or three-year deal because the 27-year-old NTT IndyCar Series star is about the begin the prime years of his career.

Ultimately, they agreed to a three-year deal with one option year being held by the driver.

That means Rossi could be with Andretti until 2024 before a new contract would need to be negotiated.

“It feels good to continue with Andretti Autosport,” Rossi said. “Over the past four years, we’ve built a very strong team with great chemistry and I believe that we have the tools necessary to win races and championships. I’m looking forward to not just calling this my team, but my home in the IndyCar Series. Michael [Andretti], J-F [Thormann], Doug [Bresnahan] and the entire team have been working very hard to put all the pieces of this deal together and it’s definitely a relief to have the future settled and be able to focus on the championship fight ahead of us.

“It’s fantastic to have NAPA AUTO PARTS, AutoNation and Honda supporting the 27 program. I’ve had the pleasure of developing a great relationship with both NAPA and Honda and couldn’t imagine not having them in my corner. AutoNation has always had a strong partnership with the team through Ryan [Hunter-Reay] and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to represent the Drive Pink campaign and getting to know the AutoNation team better.”

Andretti was considering a move back to Chevrolet, which would have helped the team align with McLaren on a potential full-time IndyCar Series program. Honda and McLaren cannot do business together because of an edict from Japan after McLaren’s acrimonious departure from Honda in Formula One.

The balance of power in the NTT IndyCar Series is very important and currently Chevrolet features the powerful three-car combination at Team Penske with points leader Josef Newgarden, reigning Indianapolis 500 winner and 2016 IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud and 2014 IndyCar champion and 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power. Ed Carpenter Racing is Chevy’s No. 2 team with Carlin and AJ Foyt Racing the other Chevrolet teams in the series.

Honda features the four-car effort at Andretti Autosport led by Rossi, 2012 IndyCar champion and 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay along with Zach Veach and Marco Andretti. Chip Ganassi Racing is another Honda power team with five-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and rookie driver Felix Rosenqvist. Other Honda teams including Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Dale Coyne Racing.

Rossi won the 100thIndianapolis 500 as a rookie driver in 2016. Counting that initial victory, Rossi has seven victories, including two this season. He is currently 29 points behind Newgarden entering Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

Together, Andretti Autosport and Honda Performance Development have captured three championships and five Indianapolis 500 wins. In addition, the team has collected 55 Indy car wins with Honda power. In 2018, Honda won the NTT IndyCar Series manufacturers championship with 11 wins in 17 races. Honda currently leads Chevrolet in a tight battle for the 2019 championship – Honda with 976 points and Chevrolet with 930.

“This is an important moment for Honda Performance Development,” said Ted Klaus, President, Honda Performance Development. “Andretti Autosport is unquestionably one of the premier teams in the NTT IndyCar Series, and we are gratified to earn their confidence for the foreseeable future. At HPD, our first goal every season is winning the Indianapolis 500, and Andretti Autosport has won more ‘500s’ for Honda than any other team.  That said, HPD is fortunate to work with multiple high-caliber racing organizations.  This commitment from Andretti Autosport strengthens our entire effort, as we move into the next era of Indy car competition.”

Andretti also spoke of the team’s long and successful relationship with Honda.

“We have a longstanding relationship of success with Honda and we’re happy to continue to build accolades together” Andretti said. “All five of our Indy 500 wins have come under Honda power, and I’m looking forward to working with the entire HPD team to add to that count.”

With only five races remaining in the NTT IndyCar Series season, Rossi continues his quest to capture his first championship at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend. NBC will cover Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio live at 4 p.m. ET.

 

Ford unveils a new Mustang for 2024 Le Mans in motorsports ‘lifestyle brand’ retooling

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 7:00 PM EDT
Ford Mustang Le Mans
Ford Performance
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LE MANS, France — Ford has planned a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Mustang muscle car next year under a massive rebranding of Ford Performance aimed at bringing the automotive manufacturer “into the racing business.”

The Friday unveil of the new Mustang Dark Horse-based race car follows Ford’s announcement in February (and a ballyhooed test at Sebring in March) that it will return to Formula One in 2026 in partnership with reigning world champion Red Bull.

The Mustang will enter the GT3 category next year with at least two cars in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, and is hopeful to earn an invitation to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The IMSA entries will be a factory Ford Performance program run by Multimatic, and a customer program in WEC with Proton Competition.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, also an amateur sports car racer, told The Associated Press the Mustang will be available to compete in various GT3 series across the globe to customer teams. But more important, Farley said, is the overall rebranding of Ford Performance – done by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee – that is aimed at making Ford a lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset.

“It’s kind of like the company finding its own, and rediscovering its icons, and doubling down on them,” Farley told the AP. “And then this motorsports activity is getting serious about connecting enthusiast customers with those rediscovered icons. It’s a big switch for the company – this is really about building strong, iconic vehicles with enthusiasts at the center of our marketing.”

Ford last competed in sports car racing in 2019 as part of a three-year program with Chip Ganassi Racing. The team scored the class win at Le Mans in 2016 in a targeted performance aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford snapping Ferrari’s six-year winning streak.

Ford on Friday displayed a Mustang with a Lee-designed livery that showcased the cleaner, simplified look that will soon be featured on all its racing vehicles. The traditional blue oval with Ford Performance in white lettering underneath will now be branded simply FP.

The new mark will be used across car liveries, merchandise and apparel, display assets, parts and accessories and in advertising.

Farley cited Porsche as an automaker that has successfully figured out how to sell cars to consumers and race cars in various series around the world while creating a culture of brand enthusiasts. He believes Ford’s new direction will help the company sell street cars, race cars, boost interest in driving schools, and create a merchandise line that convinces consumers that a stalwart of American automakers is a hip, cool brand.

“We’re going to build a global motorsports business off road and on road,” Farley told the AP, adding that the design of the Mustang is “unapologetically American.”

He lauded the work of Lee, who is considered the top helmet designer among race car drivers.

“We’re in the first inning of a nine inning game, and going to Le Mans is really important,” Farley said. “But for customer cars, getting the graphics right, designing race cars that win at all different levels, and then designing a racing brand for Ford Performance that gets rebranded and elevated is super important.”

He said he’s kept a close eye on how Porsche and Aston Martin have built their motorsports businesses and said Ford will be better.

“We’re going in the exact same direction. We just want to be better than them, that’s all,” Farley said. “Second is the first loser.”

Farley, an avid amateur racer himself, did not travel to Le Mans for the announcement. The race that begins Saturday features an entry from NASCAR, and Ford is the reigning Cup Series champion with Joey Logano and Team Penske.

The NASCAR “Garage 56” entry is a collaboration between Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and is being widely celebrated throughout the industry. Farley did feel left out of the party in France – a sentiment NASCAR tried to avoid by inviting many of its partners to attend the race so that it wouldn’t seem like a Chevrolet-only celebration.

“They’re going right and I’m going left – that NASCAR thing is a one-year deal, right? It’s Garage 56 and they can have their NASCAR party, but that’s a one-year party,” Farley said. “We won Le Mans outright four times, we won in the GT class, and we’re coming back with Mustang and it’s not a one-year deal.

“So they can get all excited about Garage 56. I almost see that as a marketing exercise for NASCAR, but for me, that’s a science project,” Farley continued. “I don’t live in a world of science projects. I live in the world of building a vital company that everyone is excited about. To do that, we’re not going to do a Garage 56 – I’ve got to beat Porsche and Aston Martin and Ferrari year after year after year.”

Ford’s announcement comes on the heels of General Motors changing its GT3 strategy next season and ending its factory Corvette program. GM, which unlike Ford competes in the IMSA Grand Touring Prototype division (with its Cadillac brand), will shift fully to a customer model for Corvettes in 2024 (with some factory support in the IMSA GTD Pro category).