The 2025 IndyCar Series grid is officially set, with Dale Coyne Racing completing the lineup by securing five-year veteran Rinus VeeKay to pilot the No. 18 Honda. The Dutch driver will lead the team alongside rookie Jacob Abel, who steps into the No. 51 Honda for his debut season.
A New Challenge for VeeKay
After spending his entire IndyCar career with Ed Carpenter Racing, VeeKay now brings his raw speed and experience to a Dale Coyne team looking to bounce back from a difficult 2024 campaign. Team owner Dale Coyne is confident that VeeKay’s aggressive driving style and hunger for success will make an immediate impact.
“He’s hungry, he’s got unfinished business,” Coyne said. “With Rinus, it was like, ‘Here’s what the car is doing,’ and we just said, ‘Okay, we’re gonna try this. Here’s why we’re trying it.’ It was a good, just basic engineering.”
VeeKay will work alongside veteran race engineer Ed Nathman, a former CART IndyCar Series and NASCAR engineer, who will guide him through the transition to his new team.
A Balance of Youth and Experience
While Coyne has one of the youngest driver lineups on the grid, he has countered that with some of the most experienced engineers in the paddock. Abel will work with CART veteran John Dick, creating an interesting mix of rookie talent and seasoned expertise.
“We’ve got older engineers now, but the car is still the car,” Coyne said. “You still need maximum grip, maximum aerodynamics. You need to make the tires work and last. Power, whether it’s normally aspirated or the hybrid, that’s a tool. You just have to learn how to incorporate that as efficiently as possible. But the basic race car is still a basic race car.”
Gearing Up for Sebring and St. Pete
VeeKay will make his official Dale Coyne Racing debut on Monday at Sebring, where the entire 2025 IndyCar field will engage in a crucial two-day pre-season test. The focus will be on fine-tuning setups, integrating IndyCar’s new hybrid system, and getting both VeeKay and Abel comfortable ahead of the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at the end of the month.
With the grid now complete, all eyes are on Sebring, where teams will get a first real look at their 2025 challengers. Can VeeKay help revive Dale Coyne Racing? Can Abel make a strong rookie impression? We’re about to find out. 🚀🏁
