British driver Tom Blomqvist is taking his talents to IndyCar with Meyer Shank Racing in 2024, stepping away from full-time involvement in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which he currently competes in with the Acura-backed team.
This is a move long predicted by RACER’s Marshall Pruett, and all the language around the announcement indicates that this is a full time switch.
Blomqvist joins the IndyCar series having won the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as well as the 2022 and 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona with MSR. This is a multi-year agreement to drive one of the team’s two full-season entries.
It also marks a return to single-seater racing from Blomqvist, who has previous Formula 3, Formula Renault and Formula E experience. He also has a single IndyCar start to his name, filling in for the recovering Simon Pagenaud in Toronto earlier this season.
“Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to Mike and Jim and all the partners 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.”
Meanwhile, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will remain with the team for the 2024 season, taking an ownership role as a minority partner.
After winning a record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory with MSR in 2021, Castroneves will also continue his ‘Drive for 5’ with the Ohio-based team in 2024 and enter the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 as the third entry for MSR.
“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 programme 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.”
There are still no confirmed plans for Meyer Shank in IMSA for 2024, in the wake of confirmation that Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport will expand its GTP effort to two cars with Acura next season. That announcement was notable in that it in no way referred to the team’s expansion as a third car for the Acura brand.
Images courtesy of Meyer Shank Racing
