The #51 had several drivers throughout the season. Photo: Kevin Dejewski
Dale Coyne Racing has revealed that Tristan Vautier will be taking the wheel of the #51 for the team’s next IndyCar race on the streets of Detroit.
The 34-year-old driver has previously competed in IndyCar, but has recently been involved in sports car racing.
Vautier has been racing prototypes in the IMSA and WEC series for the past ten years, securing a single victory at the 2021 Sebring 12 Hours.
His return to IndyCar puts him back in a formula car for the first time in seven years and continues Dale Coyne Racing’s pattern of introducing new drivers in the #51 almost every weekend.
“I’m thrilled to make my return to the NTT IndyCar Series and Dale Coyne Racing this weekend,” said Vautier.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in an Indy car, but I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel this weekend and exploring the Detroit track.
“Returning to Dale Coyne Racing is like coming back to family, and I want to express my gratitude to Dale and Falcon Motorsport for giving me this opportunity.”
Vautier will be the fifth different driver to pilot the #51 this season, following Colin Braun, Nolan Siegel, Luca Ghiotto, and Katherine Legge, who have all had their turns this year.
The French driver last competed in IndyCar in 2017 in a single race at Texas Motor Speedway, also with Dale Coyne Racing.
Prior to that, he completed a full season with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in 2013 and a partial season with DCR in 2015, achieving his best result of fourth place at Detroit Belle Isle.
Vautier will return to Detroit this weekend, racing alongside Jack Harvey in the #18. The deal is only for a single race, leaving the driver of the #51 undisclosed for the rest of the season.
