Team Penske will downsize from four to three full time IndyCar entries in 2022, opting not to replace the departing Simon Pagenaud next season.
The reduction was not wholly unexpected, as there were no drivers rumored to be in contention for the open seat despite a few still seeking rides.
The removal of the #22 from the team’s roster was confirmed by RACER on Tuesday.
The personnel for the dissolved entry are expected to be spread among the remaining three entries, and some will be shuffled over to Team Penske’s new World Endurance Championship LMDh program with Porsche.
Penske has bounced back and forth between three and four full time entries since 2009, when it expanded operations to accommodate Will Power in his second IndyCar season.
The reduction will see the team remain as one of the larger teams on the grid, but its car count will now be matched by the newly-expanded Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Roger Penske is still heavily involved in all aspects of Team Penske, even though much of his time is now taken managing the NTT IndyCar Series itself since he acquired it in early 2020.
Will Power, Josef Newgarden, and Scott McLaughlin will complete the team’s driver lineup for next year, with no additional entries expected for the 106th Indianapolis 500.
