The NTT IndyCar Series season is fast approaching, with less than two weeks until the green flag waves on the Sunshine state’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
While all eyes will be on the likes of defending series champion Will Power and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, the next wave of open-wheel talent is set to begin the chase for rookie-of-the-year honors.
Four drivers are gunning for bragging rights in the rookie category, including Indy NXT alumni Benjamin Pedersen and Sting Ray Robb, along with Formula 2 competitor Marcus Armstrong and Argentina touring car driver Augustin Canapino.
Take a look at the four contenders for rookie of the year.
Benjamin Pedersen, A.J. Foyt Racing No. 55
Pedersen finished off a two-year stint in IndyCar’s feeder series, with his first Indy NXT victory at Portland (Ore.) Int’l Speedway last September.
The 23-year-old Danish American driver notched four additional podiums aboard the No. 24 Global Racing Group with HMD entry, finishing fifth in the standings.
Benjamin Pedersen after his INDY NXT win at Portland. (Penske Entertainment/Travis Hinkle)
Entering St. Pete, Pedersen is set to run the full IndyCar schedule for the legendary A.J. Foyt in the No. 55 Chevrolet.
“It’s been very exciting times at A.J. Foyt Racing,” Pedersen said. “New people, new organization, new structure, new methods. People are so hungry right now to be there and to improve. I think it’s been a lot of time, before my time, people wanting it, but not necessarily knowing how to get there.
“But now there is a very good path as a team, how we can accomplish things that we have as goals. People are staying extra during the weekends to practice pit stops when they don’t have to be. People that don’t have to be there to help them are showing up to help with that.
“It’s just really special to be part of.”
Paired with veteran Santino Ferrucci in the A.J. Foyt Racing stable, Pedersen and Ferrucci give the team a young spark that “Super Tex” hopes can be a winning combination down the stretch.
Sting Ray Robb, Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing No. 51
After two seasons of Indy NXT action, Robb gambled, putting all his chips in on a potential IndyCar ride.
Fortunately for Robb, it paid off with the last spot on the grid aboard the No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing Honda.
For the 21-year-old, last year was a springboard to vaulting his name into IndyCar. After joining powerhouse Andretti Autosport last offseason, Robb instantly became one of the most consistent drivers in the Indy NXT field.
With eight podiums, two pole positions and a breakthrough victory during the WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca doubleheader weekend in California, the Idaho-native finished second in the standings.
“I think the driving style is fairly similar moving to Indy NXT to IndyCar,” Robb said. “My first day in the car, it felt very natural. It felt like it was an Indy NXT car that did what I wanted it to do. I didn’t have to wrestle it around as much.
“But at the same time, you had more tools at your disposal. Obviously more speed, more power, better handling, the tires are much grippier,” Robb continued. “I think the biggest thing for me to learn will be on the strategy side, pit stop side of things. That’s nothing that we’ve had to do before.”
Heading into the new season, Robb will be linked with last season’s rookie-of-the-year runner-up David Malukas. Combined, the two make up the youngest IndyCar driver team in series history.
Marcus Armstrong, Chip Ganassi Racing No. 11
After the departure of full-time driver Jimmie Johnson, CGR was in need of a driver to fill its fourth Honda entry.
Piloting the rebranded No. 11 for the road and street courses, Armstrong’s background in Formula 2 for three seasons proved to be a key aspect in his rise to the American open-wheel series.
Marcus Armstrong during the two-day test at The Thermal Club. (Penske Entertainment/Chris Owens)
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato will run the ovals in the No. 11 entry.
The New Zeeland-native earned four wins and eight podium finishes during his time in the Formula 1 feeder series.
“It’s been amazing, the team has been so welcoming since I arrived last December,” Armstrong said. “Everyone’s been giving me more information then I could’ve imagined really. So open with everything and how they approach things.
“I’ve been genuinely impressed with the organization and just the strategic point of view that Chip Ganassi Racing has. It’s really quite remarkable and I can understand why they’ve had so much success.”
Despite only contesting a part-time schedule this season, running in CGR equipment alongside teammates Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Ericsson may prove to be a lethal combination for the 22-year-old.
Augustin Canapino, Juncos Hollinger Racing No. 78
Rounding out the rookie class is 33-year-old Canapino from Argentina. Racing for JHR, Canapino’s experience is vastly different from his rookie counterparts.
Competing in the Turismo Carretera touring series in Argentina, Canapino amassed an impressive 15 victories, 54 podium finishes, and four championships in 14 seasons.
Living in a different country for the first time in his life, getting accustomed to the English language has been an additional task for Canapino.
“Three months ago, I only could say, ‘Hello,’” Canapino explained.
While he doesn’t have any competitive open-wheel experience, Canapino does have two starts in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, driving for Juncos in the Daytona Prototype class at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway.
Why did Canapino decided to give IndyCar a shot despite the numerous challenges?
“It’s IndyCar. IndyCar is in my opinion, the most demanding and competitive car tour in the world. For me, it’s a big opportunity to try something outside, something in international level. We are here with (Romain) Grosjean, (Scott) Dixon, (Will) Power, we’ve got Callum. All some of the best drivers in the world.
“It’s a big opportunity, of course. We are in trouble because I don’t know the cars, the tracks, the ovals. But I love the challenge, I love the situation. I know it’s very difficult to me, but I have confidence.”
The addition of Canapino at JHR is a compelling one. With very few moments in the cockpit before St. Pete, it’ll be an uphill battle. However, alongside last year’s rookie contender Callum Illot, the duo will look to build on a promising 2022, that saw Illott give the team two top-10 runs, along with a runner-up qualifying effort at Laguna Seca.
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Keyword: IndyCar Rookie Preview: A Diverse Lineup