The Meyer Shank Racing ownership group announced the signing of 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champion Tom Blomqvist to a multi-year deal with the MSR IndyCar program starting in 2024.
Blomqvist made an appearance earlier this season, when he filled in for an injured Simon Pagenaud in Toronto. Unfortunately he was unable to complete a single green flag lap due to a multi-car accident. The Englishman has also cut his teeth in Formula E along with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship where he has picked up 4 career wins.
“We are thrilled to bring Tom (Blomqvist) over to our INDYCAR program full-time starting next year, and to be able to keep Helio as a key part of our program moving forward and go for a fifth Indianapolis 500 victory next year,” said Mike Shank. “I feel like all the planets aligned for us to be able to do this, so I’m really grateful for us to be making this next step as a team. Helio brings so much to what we do overall as a team, both in terms of our competition package and all of his experience, as well as how he’s able to engage with our partners. So having him transition to this role is really exciting for everyone involved.”
“Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to Mike and Jim and all the partners – AutoNation, SiriusXM, Arctic Wolf, Clopay and Cleveland-Cliffs – for believing in me and giving me this opportunity,” said Blomqvist. “It’s been a good ride the last two years in IMSA, but I’ve been itching to make the step up to INDYCAR and this is an opportunity I’m eager and motivated to make the most of. INDYCAR is an incredibly competitive series and I’m under no illusions in how difficult this championship can be, but I am extremely motivated to make the most of this exciting new challenge.”
The Blomqvist announcement wasn’t the only one from MSR on Friday. They also announced that 4-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will remain with the team and drive in the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 and beyond as part of his “Drive for 5”, however Castroneves is now also a minority ownership partner.
“First I want to thank Mike, Jim and Liberty for accepting me as part of the ownership group,” said Castroneves. “Throughout my career I’ve been very fortunate to surround myself with an amazing group of people and this journey will be my next chapter and I can’t wait for that. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot of fuel to burn inside in terms of driving and I will do that at the Indy 500 as I continue my pursuit of the Drive for Five.”
Who takes the second Meyer Shank Racing seat?
Mystery still surrounds the second seat at MSR. With Castroneves only doing the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 and Pagenaud’s contract is expiring at the end of this season. Going into the 2024, there’s nobody else currently under contract for the No. 60 Honda entry. Is it time for MSR to bring in another driver to partner with Blomqvist? Does one of Pagenaud’s replacements get a full time drive next year? IndyCar veteran Conor Daly did a respectable job at Mid-Ohio. However, reigning Indy NXT Champion Linus Lundqvist impressed everyone in Toronto with his speed in qualifying and the race.
Whatever MSR decides Tom Blomqvist can fully focus on his IndyCar debut in 2024.
