Michael Andretti, son of famed IndyCar legend and Formula 1 champion Mario Andretti, and an IndyCar legend in his own right; now spends most of his time dealing with sponsors, PR, and talking about team performance. Essentially all the non-racing duties he had while racing except there isn’t any racing to be had. Andretti now spends his time behind the pit wall managing Andretti Autosport, not in the cockpit. As owner of an IndyCar Series team, an Indy Lights team, a Global Rallycross team, and a Formula E team, Andretti is now a businessman.
As a businessman, it’s his responsibility to get the most for the various sponsors that don his cars. Sponsors and parts suppliers will only come if they see results and if those results make financial sense for them. And Andretti faces that decision once more, with who will supply engines for his IndyCar team and what is the best way as attract new sponsors for his four-car (three-car?) IndyCar team in 2018.
A report in Autoweek says that Andretti is ‘close to a decision’ on whether Chevrolet will supply his team for 2018. If Andretti reunite with Chevy, their engine partner in 2002, 2012-2013 it’ll be a major coup for the American automaker. They’ll once again have engines in the two largest teams in IndyCar. The question is will Andretti do it?
Historically, Andretti Autosport has had more success with Honda; 47 wins, five Indianapolis 500, and three IndyCar champions. However, personally, Andretti has had more success with Chevy. It was with a Chevy engine in CART that Andretti won his only driver’s championship in 1991. That same year, Andretti came within 14 laps of winning the Indy 500, if it weren’t for his steering issues. Still with steering issue Andretti finished a career best 2nd.
YouTube: Indy 500 1991 – Rick Mears vs Michael Andretti
With the addition of Takuma Sato to the Andretti stable this year and his historic victory at the Indy 500; Andretti Autosport’s stock with Honda and the Japanese is through the roof. However, IndyCar is not F1. It may have international drivers, but it is not really an international race series—not since Japan in 2011 and Brazil in 2013. IndyCar is foremost a national series with the obvious exception of Toronto. If Andretti wants to attract more domestic sponsors, what better way than to start with a domestic engine supplier.
An Andretti move back to Chevy would give the Detroit-based manufacturer 12 full-time cars in 2018 (assuming Team Penske and Andretti don’t downsize); and a better grip on keeping the IndyCar championship with Chevy-backed drivers based on recent performance. Since 2011, Chevy has won three of the last five championships and is currently leading the points standings with a 1-2 with Chevy-backed Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves.
If Andretti wants more sponsors he needs to win races and championships, and while the Indy 500 is a special race to win, in the grand scheme it is one race. Chevy, through the resilience of Team Penske has shown that it is more reliable than Honda and is quicker; having taken pole in nine of the 13 races so far in 2017. Chevy can help Andretti reverse the bad luck of the 2017 season, they just need an in.
A move to Chevy, with their deep pockets and domestic appeal could also save the racing career of Andretti’s son Marco; whose own 2018 plans are a bit of a coin flip at the moment.
Ultimately, who Andretti chooses to power his cars next year could come down to how the team perform with Honda; after the IndyCar summer break. Even if he’s ‘close to a decision’.
