This year, Formula 1’s “silly season” has been a rollercoaster of emotions. From a seven-time world champion moving teams, potential new rookies, and driver switch-ups, there is much to be excited about for the 2025 season.
On the other side of the pond in America, IndyCar has its fair share of exciting new changes coming next year. Prema Racing recently announced the introduction of their very own IndyCar team for the 2025 season.
The team will field two full-time entries in collaboration with Chevrolet. With such a renowned and talent-producing team, many are skeptical of who will take the open seats with the Italian team.
Logan Sargeant is one of the key drivers rumored to drive with the team in 2025, making his IndyCar debut. With the threat of losing his Williams seat in Formula 1, this move would be extremely beneficial to his career. Prema’s IndyCar team will operate in Indianapolis, showing its dedication to building this team.
Logan Sargeant’s future is undecided, but he is expected to part from Williams at the end of the 2024 season. Courtesy of Motorsport.com/Williams.
With a team committed to its drivers and the overall structure of highlighting performance, Sargeant would finally have the opportunity to showcase his talent. It’s no secret that his career in Formula 1 has been less than satisfactory. Still, there have been many discussions about whether or not his introduction into the series was the correct timing.
Sergeant would be returning to home soil, and return to a team he’s worked with previously, as the American driver raced with Prema during his time in Formula 3. Rene Rosin, the team principal of Prema Racing, has discussed his interest in having a team comprising of “an experienced driver, and one rookie.” This puts Sargeant as the perfect candidate for the team and allows him to continue a successful motorsport career.
Another driver who is of interest to the team is Callum Illot, who previously raced for the team in Formula 3. The driver has years of experience in IndyCar under his belt, placing him as one of the top contenders for a seat with the team.
The British driver recently served as a substitute driver for Arrow McLaren, temporarily replacing David Malukas while he was recovering from an injury. He had the opportunity to drive the No. 6 car in the Indianapolis 500, often referred to as the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He managed to secure 11th place in the race, solidifying him as a reliable driver.
Illot currently competes in the World Endurance Championship with Hertz Team Jota, racing with drivers such as Jenson Button, and Will Stevens. This is his first official year in the sportscar series, following his split from the Juncos Hollinger IndyCar team at the end of 2023.
The driver’s future is still undecided, and a seat with Prema would secure his return to the American racing series. His years of experience are a key factor in his potential with the team and it would certainly shake things up for the following season.
Another possible candidate for the team is Alexander Rossi. It was recently announced that the American driver will part ways with Arrow McLaren, after two years with the team. Many possible teams could sign him and Prema is not off the table.
Alexander Rossi was announced to be splitting from Arrow McLaren after two years with the team. Courtesy of NBCSports.com.
Rossi’s impressive career places him in the perfect position for a seat with a successful team. Entering his 10th year in IndyCar, there is no question regarding his experience and commitment to performing well in the series.
One of the driver’s most notable career highlights is winning the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie with Andretti Global. He joins the list of only nine other drivers to win in their first year, an achievement that is sure to spark teams’ interests.
Other drivers have been mentioned, such as Theo Pourchaire, who won the F2 Championship in 2023. He made his IndyCar debut with Arrow McLaren, and was announced as the full-time driver for the rest of the 2024 season, but was later replaced by Nolan Siegel.
Frederik Vesti could be a potential candidate, as he was runner-up in the F2 Championship with Prema in 2023. He currently competes in the European Le Mans Series with Cool Racing. He is also a reserve driver for the Mercedes-AMG F1 team. While he doesn’t have IndyCar experience, he is a strong prospect as a rookie for the team.
Frederik Vesti is currently a reserve driver for the Mercedes-AMG F1 team. Courtesy of Mercedes Media Centre.
As the team only recently began work in the factory for the 2025 debut season, it will be some time until the driver line-up is announced. As of now, all of the potential drivers are just rumors, or talking with the team. Nothing is officially confirmed, but fans can expect a solid line-up and a memorable first outing for the Italian team next year.
Edited by Breanna Ebisch
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