Blomqvist takes full-time IndyCar drive in place of Castroneves for 2024

Tom Blomqvist will replace Helio Castroneves as a full-time IndyCar driver at Meyer Shank next year.

Blomqvist made his debut for Meyer Shank in last month’s race in Toronto as a substitute for Simon Pagenaud, but was eliminated along with three other drivers in a first-lap pile-up.

Meyer Shank said it has signed a “multi-year agreement” with Blomqvist. “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.

Blomqvist rose through the junior single-seater ranks after winning the British Formula Renault 2.0 category in 2010. Four years later his finished runner-up to Esteban Ocon in European Formula 3, pipping Max Verstappen to second place.

But lacking opportunities to continue his single-seater career, Blomqvist moved into the DTM. He later raced in Formula E before joining Meyer Shank.

Blomqvist took victory for the team in the IMSA sportscar championship last year and scored back-to-back wins in the Daytona 24 Hours, though the team was later penalised for a technical infringement in the latter.

“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,” said Blomqvist. “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.”

Castroneves, who has taken a minority stake in the team, will continue to drive for them at the Indianapolis 500. The 48-year-old, who won the race for the team in 2021, is seeking a record-breaking fifth victory.

“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,” said Castroneves. “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’.”

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