Certainly, it is not ideal to have someone travel over 4000 miles to get into a car they have only raced five times before, on only four hours of sleep, and participate in a qualifying session on a track they have never driven on. This is what Theo Pourchaire did for the McLaren IndyCar team in Toronto last month. It raises the question: why don’t IndyCar teams have reserve drivers that they can call upon for every race?
Setting aside the issue of lack of sleep and how it could have affected Pourchaire’s performance, it is not always the best option to have someone come in so unprepared. I can understand why IndyCar teams have not had reserve drivers in the past. It is a significant cost to consider, as these drivers need to be racing elsewhere to stay in shape. Additionally, it may not always be easy to find drivers who are good enough and available for an IndyCar backup role. Furthermore, reserve drivers are only needed a few times a season at most.
However, when looking at the number of times stand-ins have been needed in the past five years, it averages out to around two races per season. This is a significant number, especially considering that IndyCar’s points system rewards even those who retire from races. The competition for the top 22 positions in the teams’ points is closely fought and awards a $1 million prize fund through the Leaders Circle. Given these factors, it is worth considering why reserve drivers have not been a policy in IndyCar and why they should be.
Formula 1 has shown a cost-effective way to implement reserve drivers: sharing them among teams. For example, Mick Schumacher is Mercedes’ reserve driver and is also available to its engine customer McLaren, while also testing for Alpine. Ollie Bearman has been shared by Haas and got to race for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia. IndyCar could adopt a similar approach, having one or two reserve drivers per manufacturer (Chevrolet and Honda) or even just one driver available for the entire grid if cost is a concern.
If each team contributed $10,000, there would be a pool of $100,000 to pay a stand-in driver. This would not only keep a driver employed but also provide a selection of drivers to choose from in case one of the selected drivers is racing elsewhere on a given race weekend. Additionally, the reserve driver could be utilized for simulator days or to consult on development projects, which would further enhance their value and make the arrangement even more cost-effective.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan has already demonstrated the value of having a reserve driver in a quasi-reserve role this year. Juri Vips has worked with the team across IndyCar and the IMSA SportsCar Championship, providing valuable input in the simulator. Furthermore, teams could use the reserve driver to engage with sponsors, as having a driver accessible to give tours and interact with sponsors is a crucial aspect of sponsorship activation in IndyCar. This would allow the race drivers to focus solely on their performance and preparation.
In conclusion, having reserve drivers in IndyCar would not be detrimental to a driver’s career prospects. In fact, it could provide an opportunity for drivers who may not have secured a seat for the season to remain in the paddock, build relationships with team bosses, and be ready to seize any opportunities that arise. This is exemplified by the success story of Linus Lundqvist, who won Indy Lights in 2022 but was initially left without a seat in 2023. However, by becoming a stand-in driver and impressing with his performance, he secured a seat with a top team for the following season.
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