Chip Ganassi Racing announced its full 2025 IndyCar line-up on Wednesday, confirming that Kyffin Simpson will pilot the team’s third car.
Simpson, who completed his rookie season with CGR in 2024, will remain with the squad and will move into the #8 entry.
The young Cayman Islands national did not record any top ten finishes in this rookie year, with his best result coming in his debut race on the streets of St. Petersburg where he finished 12th.
Simpson will drive alongside the reigning series champion Alex Palou and six-time champion Scott Dixon, both of whom were already confirmed on long term contracts with the team.
“By all accounts 2024 was another stellar year for our organization with five IndyCar Series wins and our third championship in the last four seasons,” said team owner Chip Ganassi.
“So, as we move toward 2025, we are looking to defend the championship with a strong lineup of drivers and look to continue Kyffin’s development and the development of our young drivers through our INDY NXT program.”
Lundqvist left out
The announcement confirms that Chip Ganassi Racing is leaving Linus Lundqvist off its roster for the upcoming season.
With a new charter system in place, CGR has only three guaranteed places on the grid. Details of the arrangement further disincentivize teams from fielding more cars than they have charters, so the team is only running three entries from 2025.
Downsizing from five full time entries to three has meant that two drivers have effectively lost their ride, including Linus Lundqvist.
The Swedish driver was the 2022 IndyNXT champion and earned the 2024 Rookie of the Year title while putting forward some impressive drives in the team’s #8 entry.
Two podiums, five top ten finishes, and a pole were not enough to allow him to keep his place at the team, and he continues to search for a place to land next year.
Lundqvist already struggled to find a race seat in 2023, with funding issues being the main reason he was not able to jump directly into a full time ride after earning the title in the main feeder series.
Ganassi’s other driver from 2024 Marcus Armstrong has already found a home at Meyer Shank Racing for next year alongside Felix Rosenqvist.
Chip Ganassi Racing also used the announcement to finalize the driver line-up for its new IndyNXT effort, with Jonathan Browne and Niels Koolen piloting the team’s two cars.
