Tag: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Mick Schumacher Signs with RLL

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Editor’s Note: I just got back to Indy from Florida, where I am closing Winter Headquarters. Mick is a great addition to the grid.

The story is from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (November 24, 2025) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Mick Schumacher, 26, will compete for the team in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2026. The son of legendary seven-time Formula One champion, Michael Schumacher, brings with him an impressive resume that includes 43 Formula One starts and a best finish of sixth place, along with three podiums in WEC competition. Sponsorship details will be announced at a later date.

While Schumacher is no stranger to racing on road and street courses, he will add oval racing to his resume in 2026 as six of the 17 races in the 2026 INDYCAR SERIES will take place on an oval or superspeedway, including the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. RLL is in the process of planning an oval test for Schumacher in the near future.

The Swiss-born driver will compete in the No. 47 Honda-powered entry and completes the team’s 2026 full-season lineup alongside Graham Rahal and 2025 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year, Louis Foster. The number 47 carries symbolic meaning for Schumacher as it is a nod to his father and his family.

Schumacher most recently competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2024 and 2025 for Alpine and is switching his focus to INDYCAR for 2026. On October 13, he completed an INDYCAR test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) road course, impressing the team with his pace, adaptability and technical feedback — an experience that further fueled his desire to return to open-wheel racing.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is North America’s premier open-wheel racing competition, featuring stars from across the globe competing at speeds faster than 370 kph (230 mph). Along with hosting the world-famous Indianapolis 500, the series boasts a mix of oval, temporary street circuit and permanent road course races across North America. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is sanctioned by INDYCAR, the governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel racing series and part of the Penske Entertainment family.

The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1. The 17-race schedule includes new venues in Arlington, Texas and Markham, Ontario, Canada. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.

QUOTEBOARD:

MICK SCHUMACHER: “I am delighted to confirm today that I will be competing in the INDYCAR SERIES next year with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, taking part in the full season. Having both an F1 and an endurance background, and having competed in various racing series over the years, I have insights and knowledge that I am sure will contribute to a great partnership. RLL prepared me extremely well during testing already, and I am sure that we can build a lot together.

“I was also immediately excited about the car and the American way of motorsport which comes across as being more about pure and direct racing, and it is precisely this aspect that I am very much looking forward to. And of course, I am curious about new experiences and always interested in broadening my horizons. For me, a new journey is beginning here, and I am excited for the season to start.”

BOBBY RAHAL, Co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “I think I speak for everyone at RLL when I say how thrilled we are to welcome Mick to the team and to INDYCAR. His test with us on the IMS road course was exceptional – he impressed every single team member. Everyone walked away from that event determined to do what we could to bring Mick into our program. We’re thrilled he’s chosen to join us, and we can’t wait to get to work.”

DAVID LETTERMAN, Co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “I’m delighted to welcome Mick Schumacher to the RLL family — a young man who has competed against some of the world greatest racers. With Graham Rahal, Louis Foster and now Mick, the future for RLL is limitless. I’m very excited for the 2026 season. Still waiting for my seat fitting.” 

MIKE LANIGAN, Co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “What a great addition to our team!

Mick has the skills and experience that will help enhance our overall competitiveness in one of the most competitive racing series in the world. Welcome aboard Mick!”

JAY FRYE, President of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “Opportunities like this are rare, and we couldn’t be more excited to see everything come together. Mick is an exceptional talent on the track and an outstanding young man off of it. We are very proud to have Mick as part of the RLL family.”

About Mick Schumacher
Mick Schumacher, 26, was born and raised in Switzerland and is the son of seven-time Formula One World Drivers’ Champion Michael Schumacher and his equestrian wife Corinna, as well as the nephew of former Formula One driver Ralf.

Initially competing under the pseudonyms Mick Betsch and Mick Junior, Schumacher finished runner-up to Enaam Ahmed at the junior direct-drive Karting World Championship and Karting European Championship in 2014. Graduating to junior formula in 2015, Schumacher finished runner-up in both ADAC F4 and Italian F4 in 2016. After finishing third in the MRF Challenge Championship in 2016-2017, Schumacher moved to FIA European Formula 3, winning the championship with Prema in 2018. Progressing to FIA Formula 2 for 2019, Schumacher won the title in 2020 with Prema.

He became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2019, and went on to participate in rookie testing for Alfa Romeo and Haas in F1 in 2020, before he signed with the latter as a full-time driver in 2021. He made his Formula One debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix alongside Nikita Mazepin, but Haas failed to score points during the season with the VF-21, with Schumacher earning a season-best finish of 12th in Hungary.

In 2022, Schumacher teamed with Kevin Magnussen and scored his maiden points finish at the British Grand Prix with eighth place, followed by a career-best sixth at the Austrian Grand Prix. He was also the official reserve driver for Ferrari in 2022. For 2023 and 2024, he served as a reserve driver for Mercedes, which included serving in the same capacity for McLaren and Williams. In 2024, he moved to the FIA World Endurance with Alpine and achieved his first podium finish at the 6 Hours of Fuji. In 2025, he earned podium finishes in WEC at the 6 Hours of Imola and Spa-Francorchamps.

Letterman Lanigan Racing: “I’m delighted to welcome Mick Schumacher to the RLL family — a young man who has competed against some of the world greatest racers. With Graham Rahal, Louis Foster and now Mick, the future for RLL is limitless. I’m very excited for the 2026 season. Still waiting for my seat fitting.” MIKE LANIGAN, Co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “What a great addition to our team!Mick has the skills and experience that will help enhance our overall competitiveness in one of the most competitive racing series in the world. Welcome aboard Mick!”JAY FRYE, President of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “Opportunities like this are rare, and we couldn’t be more excited to see everything come together. Mick is an exceptional talent on the track and an outstanding young man off of it. We are very proud to have Mick as part of the RLL family.”

About Mick SchumacherMick Schumacher, 26, was born and raised in Switzerland and is the son of seven-time Formula One World Drivers’ Champion Michael Schumacher and his equestrian wife Corinna, as well as the nephew of former Formula One driver Ralf.

Initially competing under the pseudonyms Mick Betsch and Mick Junior, Schumacher finished runner-up to Enaam Ahmed at the junior direct-drive Karting World Championship and Karting European Championship in 2014.

Graduating to junior formula in 2015, Schumacher finished runner-up in both ADAC F4 and Italian F4 in 2016. After finishing third in the MRF Challenge Championship in 2016-2017, Schumacher moved to FIA European Formula 3, winning the championship with Prema in 2018.

Progressing to FIA Formula 2 for 2019, Schumacher won the title in 2020 with Prema.He became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2019, and went on to participate in rookie testing for Alfa Romeo and Haas in F1 in 2020, before he signed with the latter as a full-time driver in 2021.

He made his Formula One debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix alongside Nikita Mazepin, but Haas failed to score points during the season with the VF-21, with Schumacher earning a season-best finish of 12th in Hungary.In 2022, Schumacher teamed with Kevin Magnussen and scored his maiden points finish at the British Grand Prix with eighth place, followed by a career-best sixth at the Austrian Grand Prix.

He was also the official reserve driver for Ferrari in 2022. For 2023 and 2024, he served as a reserve driver for Mercedes, which included serving in the same capacity for McLaren and Williams. In 2024, he moved to the FIA World Endurance with Alpine and achieved his first podium finish at the 6 Hours of Fuji. In 2025, he earned podium finishes in WEC at the 6 Hours of Imola and Spa-Francorchamps.

Schumacher Will Test with Rahal at IMS in October

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From RLL:

Formula One And Sports Car Veteran Mick Schumacher To Participate In An IndyCar Test With Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing At IMS

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (September 26, 2025) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Mick Schumacher, 26, who currently competes in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) for Alpine, will participate in an INDYCAR test with the team on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on October 13. Schumacher, the son of legendary seven-time Formula One champion, Michael Schumacher, has made 44 starts in Formula One with a best finish of sixth place and earned four podiums in WEC to date.

Schumacher, who was born in Switzerland, most recently drove an open-wheel race car as the Mercedes F1 reserve driver while competing in WEC in 2024 and participated in tests at Silverstone, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Circuit Paul Ricard. The test at IMS will enable Schumacher to familiarize himself with the technical specifications of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with an eye toward possible participation in the future.

During the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 8-9, RLL drivers Graham Rahal, Louis Foster and Devlin DeFrancesco qualified second, third and fifth, respectively with Rahal leading a race high 49 of 85 laps before earning the team’s best finish of sixth place. This baseline should provide Schumacher with a good starting point.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is North America’s premier open-wheel racing competition, featuring stars from across the globe competing at speeds faster than 370 kph (230 mph). Along with hosting the world-famous Indianapolis 500, the series boasts a mix of oval, temporary street circuit and permanent road course races across North America. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is sanctioned by INDYCAR, the governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel racing series and part of the Penske Entertainment family.

The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1. The 17-race schedule includes new venues in Arlington, Texas and Markham, Ontario, Canada. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and www.rahal.com.

QUOTEBOARD:

MICK SCHUMACHER: “I am very much looking forward to driving my first IndyCar test. A big thank you to the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team for giving me this opportunity. The same goes for driving this car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time, a race track with a big history and that my dad has driven on before. I am excited to see which special features it holds.

“I am very curious to understand the special features and characteristics of this race car, which is different from the cars I am used to driving, yet similar, and I remain very interested in gaining experience in the diverse world of motorsport. Great to be able to see what it is all about and how difficult it is, since I hear a lot about how tough it is physically. It is not a secret that I am big fan of single seater racing after all, so this first IndyCar test will be an experience to treasure, and I am very much looking forward to driving a car where I can see my wheels.”

BOBBY RAHAL, Co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “I have followed Mick’s career from afar as well as that of his father so the thought of seeing him in one of our race cars is very exciting. I think it’s going to be a great day for RLL and also for Mick, as he gets his first experience in an Indy car. Obviously, he’s got a great deal of talent and knowing that we’ve had pretty good setups for the IMS road course, it should give him a good baseline to start from.”

JAY FRYE, President of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “This is an amazing opportunity for RLL to test an elite talent like Mick and bring two legendary motorsports families together.”

About Mick Schumacher

Mick Schumacher, 26, was born and raised in Switzerland and is the son of seven-time Formula One World Drivers’ Champion Michael Schumacher and his equestrian wife Corinna, as well as the nephew of former Formula One driver Ralf. He is currently competing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine.

Initially competing under the pseudonyms Mick Betsch and Mick Junior, Schumacher finished runner-up to Enaam Ahmed at the junior direct-drive Karting World Championship and Karting European Championship in 2014. Graduating to junior formula in 2015, Schumacher finished runner-up in both ADAC F4 and Italian F4 in 2016. After finishing third in the MRF Challenge Championship in 2016-2017, Schumacher moved to FIA European Formula 3, winning the championship with Prema in 2018. Progressing to FIA Formula 2 for 2019, Schumacher won the title in 2020 with Prema.

He became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2019, and went on to participate in rookie testing for Alfa Romeo and Haas in F1 in 2020, before he signed with the latter as a full-time driver in 2021. He made his Formula One debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix alongside Nikita Mazepin, but Haas failed to score points during the season with the VF-21, with Schumacher earning a season-best finish of 12th in Hungary.

In 2022, Schumacher teamed with Kevin Magnussen and scored his maiden points finish at the British Grand Prix with eighth place, followed by a career-best sixth at the Austrian Grand Prix. He was also the official reserve driver for Ferrari in 2022. For 2023 and 2024, he served as a reserve driver for Mercedes, which included serving in the same capacity for McLaren and Williams. In 2024, he moved to the FIA World Endurance with Alpine and achieved his first podium finish at the 6 Hours of Fuji. To date in 2025, he has earned podium finishes at the 6 Hours of Imola and Spa-Francorchamps with two rounds remaining in the season in Fuji (September 28) and Bahrain (November 8).

Road America- Birthplace of Rookies on Pole

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Louis Foster took the pole for tomorrow’s XPel Grand Prix in the car that he crashed last Sunday night. It was the second straight year that a rookie has won the pole at Road America. Linus Lundqvist won the pole in 2024.

Foster earned the first pole for RLL Racing since 2023 in Portland when Graham Rahal started at the point. Rahal was also in the Fast Six today, and he will start sixth.

RLL drivers have flirted with the pole before in 2025. Rahal nearly started first in the Sonsio Grand Prix at IMS.

With Robert Shwartzman winning the pole for the Indianapolis 500, two rookies have poles halfway through the season. I am sure someone will find another time that this has occurred.

Notes

It was not the day Team Penske hoped for. Scott McLaughlin was the only driver to advance to the Fast Six while Will Power will start eighth and Josef Newgarden will start 10th. Newgarden got intom the second round when Scott Dixon received a penalty for impeding another driver.

Points leader Alex Palou starts second and Kyle Kirkwood, thiSaturday usually draws a large rd in points, starts third. Second place Pato O’Ward starts 11th.

Today’s attendance was arguably the largest Saturday crowd I’ve seen here. I watched qualifying from the top of hte hill at turn five. The area looked like it normally does on race day.

Results

Qualifying Wrap Up- Same Old Story

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I was okay with Alex Palou winning three of the first four races. I’m not sure if I feel that way about him winning three fourths of the poles too. The Chip Ganassi driver won the top starting spot for tomorrow’s Sonsio Grand Prix in a dramatic qualifying which saw numerous lead changes throughout the last two rounds.

Palou took the pole on his final lap, edging Graham Rahal by four tenths of a second. The Fast 12 was a mix of regular suspects and some new faces. Louis Foster and Kyffin Simpson joined the group.

A Great Day for RLL

Rahal Letterman Lanigan burst fourth in Practice 2, taking the top three spots. Rahal led Louis Foster and Devlin DeFrancesco. Would they back it up in qualifying?
Foster led a lot of Round 2 and was on top for some of the Fast Six. Rahal took the lead in the Fast Six, but Palou’s last lap knocked him off the pole.

Three very happy drivers

The race might be another matter, though. Palou has run away and hid from the field. I hope tomorrow is a bit different.

Early knockout disappointments- Colton Herta just =missed the second round. Scott Dixon was uncompetetive, and Rinus VeeKay, usually quick on the road course, had issues in the morning.

Pato O’Ward was quick in practice, qualified eighth. he complained afterwards of being slow on the straights.

The question for race day is how the special tire rule will work. Does it give Palou more of an advantage or will it allow the racing up front to be more competitive?

That will do it for me for Friday. See you all tomorrow.

Practice 2- An Unusual Top 3

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Here is something we don’t see every day- an RLL top three. Graham Rahal led the way followed by teammates Louis Foster and Devlin DeFrancesco. Rahal turned the day’s fastest lap at 1;09.7242.

The short session ran clean. Points leader Alex Palou was seventh quick in this practice round. Will Power continues to lead the Penske cars in 13th.

Results

Frye Joins RLL as Team President

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What great news to begin April. I am so happy that Jay Frye will remain in IndyCar. The team announcement from RLL:

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (April 1, 2025) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that well-respected industry executive Jay Frye has joined the team as president. Frye will report directly to team ownership and will oversee operations for the team’s involvement in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Frye’s experience spans over 30 years and includes series and team leadership on both the competition, marketing, sales and ownership sides.

The team also announced that they have parted ways with Steve Eriksen, who held the role of chief operating officer since January 2023.

“First, I would like to thank Steve Eriksen for all of the work he did for us, particularly at a critical moment in time for the company and we certainly wish him the best in his next endeavor,” said Bobby Rahal, team co-owner with David Letterman and Michael Lanigan. “I’m very pleased to have Jay Frye join the team as president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. I’ve known him since his arrival on the INDYCAR scene in 2013 and have spent a lot of time with him and think highly of his character and his passion for the sport. I look forward to working with him in the future to take RLL to the place we all want it to be.”

“Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has a tremendous history of success, both on and off the track,” added Jay Frye. “I am very proud to be joining the dedicated and talented team of people at RLL. RLL has the foundation, infrastructure and an incredible commitment to continue being successful well into the future.”

BMW M Team RLL returns to action in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series on Saturday, April 12 on the streets of Long Beach while the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season resumes with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 13. For more information about the series or team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.


About Jay Frye

Most recently, Frye served as INDYCAR president until February 2025. He left a legacy that includes a strategic plan for future financial stability and innovative safety, competition and partnership developments during his tenure.

Frye joined Hulman & Company in 2013 as chief revenue officer of Hulman Motorsports and led the combined team of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway sponsorship sales, licensing and account services. In 2016, Frye introduced an effective, rolling five-year plan that serves as a strategic blueprint and assists in cost containment for the teams moving into the future. The impetus for the plan was built around the introduction and successful implementation of the AK-18 universal aero kits in 2018. That initial five-year plan has extended through the 2026-28 seasons of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, where Frye has set up the series to continue to succeed strategically and competitively.

Named president in December 2018 after spending the previous three years as INDYCAR’s president of competition and operations, Frye made significant contributions to the commercial and competition sides of the business. NTT, a Fortune Global 500 global informational technology and communications leader, opened the 2019 season as the new series title sponsor. Frye initiated and consummated this multiyear deal that was pivotal to the future growth of the series.

In May 2019, Frye spearheaded a partnership with Red Bull Advanced Technologies to design the aeroscreen, an industry-changing, total driver cockpit safety solution, which debuted in the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The innovative addition to the open-wheel cars proved extremely effective in competition when put to the test. For his accomplishments and leadership, he was recognized by Autosport on its prestigious 2019 Motorsports Power List covering the 50 most powerful people in global motorsport.

In October 2020, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ engine manufacturers, Chevrolet and Honda, extended their long-term agreements with the series, providing stability.

The 2024 season featured the successful implementation of the INDYCAR hybrid power unit. Highlighted by a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Chevrolet and Honda, the hybrid engine package produced over 800 horsepower and completed a remarkable 94,244 miles after full-field introduction. The record-breaking 2024 season also produced 14 on-track passing records and the fastest pole speed in the 108-year history of the Indianapolis 500. As an indicator of overall series health, 2024 featured 27 full-time starters – matching the record set in 2023.

Prior to joining Hulman & Co., Frye flourished in team management roles in the NASCAR industry. He was vice president and general manager for Red Bull Racing’s NASCAR team (2008-11) and was named 2008 NASCAR Executive of the Year by ESPN and the Kansas City Star. From 1996-2007, Frye was chief executive officer and general manager of MB2 Motorsports, a team he created and built. Before his executive roles with NASCAR teams, Frye worked at Valvoline Racing, and his extensive sales and marketing experience began with a variety of roles at Anheuser-Busch Inc.

Frye, a native of Rock Island, Illinois, graduated with a marketing/education degree from the University of Missouri, where he played tight end and offensive tackle for four years on the Tigers’ football team. He and his wife, Danielle, have two daughters.

Sato Returns to RLL for Indianapolis 500

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This is great news to wake up to. Story from RLL;

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (March 11, 2025) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, Takuma Sato, will return to the team for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500. AMADA AMERICA, Inc., a leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry, will again be the primary sponsor for 2017 and 2020 Indy 500 winner Sato’s No. 75 Honda-powered entry in the May 25 event as they were in 2024.

Sato competed for RLL in 2012 and from 2018-2021 as well as last year’s Indy 500 with primary sponsorship from AMADA. He has earned six NTT INDYCAR SERIES wins, four of which have come with RLL, including the team’s second Indy 500 win in 2020. Sato competed in oval races with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023 and returned to RLL in 2024 for the Indy 500. He set the second fastest qualifying speed of Honda-powered drivers in 2024, his 15th time to participate in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing and sixth with RLL.

The team’s relationship with AMADA goes back to 2023 when the manufacturer was the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 30 entry at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park on April 30, 2023. In addition to being the primary sponsor of Sato’s entry in the 2024 Indianapolis 500, they were also a major associate sponsor of the team’s No. 30 entry at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, near their Buena Park, Calif. Headquarters and primary sponsor at Portland.

Sato, a native of Tokyo, Japan, has made 221 starts in the INDYCAR SERIES since his rookie season in 2010, which is seventh among active drivers and 22nd all-time. His Indy car highlights include wins in the 2017 and 2020 Indianapolis 500, 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, 2018 Portland Grand Prix, 2019 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and Bommarito 500 at WWT Raceway, with four of the six coming with RLL. Of his 14 podium finishes to date, 10 have come with RLL as have three of his 10 Indy car poles. Prior to joining the INDYCAR SERIES, he competed in 90 Formula One races between 2002-2008 with his highest finish of third at the 2004 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 2 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 21st Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. North America’s premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 109th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, before culminating in Nashville for the championship finale Sunday, August 31. All on-track action can be seen live on FOX and the INDYCAR Radio Network. For more information about the series or team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.

About AMADA AMERICA, Inc.
AMADA AMERICA, INC. is headquartered in Buena Park, California. AMADA is the leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry. The AMADA brand represents Quality, Service, and Sustainability. AMADA machine tools consistently set global standards for performance and reliability. Each year, AMADA continues to develop and perfect innovative sheet metal manufacturing solutions with the objective of maximizing our customers’ productivity.

About Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Ind., is co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan. In 2025, the team will compete in its 34th year of competition and will attempt to add to its 30 Indy car wins – including the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato — their 37 poles, 112 podium finishes and 1992 series championship. The team also competed in the American Le Mans Series from 2009-2013 as BMW Team RLL where they won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category in 2010 and swept all three GT titles in 2011 – Manufacturer, Team and Driver. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 24 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 103 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2025 season. BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second-place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.

QUOTEBOARD

TAKUMA SATO, Driver of the No. 75 AMADA Honda: “I’m very excited to return to the 109th Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to Bobby, Mike, David, and the entire organization for this incredible opportunity. I’m also deeply grateful for the continued support from AMADA as the primary sponsor, alongside Panasonic Automotive Systems, Niterra, Deloitte Tohmatsu, NAC, Honda, HRC, and all our loyal sponsors. The new No. 75 car carries over RLL’s historic design with a refreshed and dynamic new livery – it looks absolutely stunning. Last year was an incredible experience, reconnecting with the team, and this year, even more familiar faces have joined the effort, which makes this moment even more special and gives me great confidence. I can’t wait to get to work.”

MIKE GUERIN, CEO, AMADA AMERICA, Inc.: “We are thrilled to once again partner with the prestigious Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team and Takuma Sato for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500! This partnership reflects our shared dedication for pushing technological boundaries and achieving peak performance. We look forward to showcasing the synergy between our two organizations on racing’s biggest stage.”

BOBBY RAHAL, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “We are excited to have Takuma part of our Indy 500 program again. His experience, talent and bravado at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in particular, is evident by his two wins. The work ethic he brings, in addition to his attention to detail, adds immeasurable value to our program. We are thrilled to have AMADA return as the primary sponsor for the entry. They continue to be an integral part of our racing programs, not only for the Indy 500. We utilize their equipment on a daily basis and couldn’t be happier with our partnership.”

MIKE LANIGAN, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is very proud to have Takuma Sato back at the Indy 500. Takuma has always been quick at the speedway and his two wins confirm his abilities at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. I personally look forward with great optimism, to be the team that gives Takuma the opportunity to win the trifecta and am thankful to have AMADA as primary sponsor again.”

RLL Signs DeFrancesco; Three Spots Left on 2025 Grid

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From Rahal Letterman lanigan Racing

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (December 9, 2024) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Devlin DeFrancesco will compete full time for the team in the No. 30 Honda-powered entry beginning with the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season in a multi-year deal. Details on the sponsorship for the entry will be announced at a later date.

“I’m very excited to be back in the INDYCAR SERIES,” said Canadian DeFrancesco. “Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has an amazing history and is also on an impressive trajectory. Seeing all the work that is going on from the men and women behind the scenes, it is easy to see that this team and myself are very hungry for results. I look forward to getting started with all the great people here.”

DeFrancesco, 24, has made 34 starts in NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport with his best start being fifth at the August 2023 road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He earned career-best finishes of 12th place at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2022 and the Detroit street race in 2023.

“I’m very pleased that we are able to welcome Devlin to the team,” added Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “We had the chance to witness his ability while he was at Andretti and there were clearly times when he was quite competitive so I’m confident that we can have a lot of good races together. We’re looking forward to his contribution to the team.”

The 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 2 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 21st Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. North America’s premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 109th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, before culminating in Nashville for the championship finale Sunday, August 31. All on-track action can be seen live on FOX and the INDYCAR Radio Network. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and www.rahal.com.

About Devlin DeFrancesco

Devlin DeFrancesco, 24, was born in Toronto, Canada on January 17, 2000. He started his racing career in karting at the age of six and has won races in North America and European karting.

In 2014, DeFrancesco placed 2nd overall in the Italian Championship and 3rd overall in the CIK FIA European Championship. In 2014, he sustained an injury to his wrist that required two surgeries and that kept him out of a full racing series for approximately a year. As part of his rehabilitation, Devlin attended the Carlin Academy, where he used a combination of simulators and on-track testing to prepare for FIA Formula 4-style racing.

In 2015, DeFrancesco was selected to be a part of the Generation Ganassi Driver Identification Program, a mentoring and talent development program that aimed to identify and assist up to 10 North American drivers between the ages of 13 and 18. When he graduated from karts in 2015, he competed in the Ginetta Junior Championship with HHC Motorsports that year. In early 2016, he competed in New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series with Giles Motorsport and finished the season 10th overall.

He joined Carlin Motorsports for the 2016 MSA Formula season and won three races and finished fifth in the point standings. He continued to compete for Carlin in 2017 and moved to the Euroformula Open and Spanish Formula 3 Championships. He won three races and five podiums en route to the Spanish Formula 3 title and won one Euroformula Open race as well as a total of seven podium finishes to finish third in the championship overall. He also competed in the final two rounds of the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship with Carlin.

He teamed up with Carlin again in 2018 for the F3 European Championship, competing in the two opening rounds but was forced to withdraw from the following round due to dental surgery and subsequently made the switch to join the GP3 Series for the reminder of the 2018 season while teaming up with MP Motorsport. In 2018, he made his IMSA debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the DPI class with JDC-Miller MotorSports and finished sixth with co-drivers Cindric, Alon and Trummer. He returned to IMSA competition later that year with the team in the Petit Le Mans event and finished ninth.

In 2019, he competed in the inaugural FIA F3 Championship with Trident Racing and gained valuable knowledge. He also returned to IMSA for the Rolex 24 at Daytona with JDC-Miller MotorSports and teammates Barrichello, Vautier and Goikhberg. The race ended before the 22nd hour due to heavy rainfall and the team was scored in fifth place.

His return to the F3 Championship with Trident Racing was announced in February 2020, but he was forced to withdraw from the season due to COVID-19 and being immuno-compromised.

Also in 2019/20, he competed in a partial season of the F3 Asian Championship with Absolute Racing and finished seventh in the championship with three podiums despite missing the final three rounds due to the pandemic.

In 2020, DeFrancesco joined Steinbrenner Racing and Andretti Autosport to compete in the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship. He scored two wins and was runner-up to the champion, Sting Ray Robb. He moved to Indy Lights in 2021 in a car co-entered by Steinbrenner Racing and Andretti Autosport. With two podiums and nine top-five finishes, he finished sixth in the points standings.

In January of 2022, DeFrancesco and his co-drivers, Colton Herta, Patricio O’Ward and Eric Lux, won the LMP2 class of the Rolex 24 at Daytona before he made his INDYCAR SERIES debut in March with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport where his best finish was 12th at WorldWide Technology Raceway in his rookie season. In 2023, he earned his best career INDYCAR start to date of fifth place at the August road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and matched his best finish of 12th place at the Detroit street race.

In 2024, he competed in the Endurance Cup in the GTD class in IMSA with Forte Racing’s Lamborghini team.

About Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Ind., is co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan. In 2025, the team will compete in its 34th year of competition and will attempt to add to its 30 Indy car wins – including the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato — their 37 poles, 112 podium finishes and 1992 series championship. The team also competed in the American Le Mans Series from 2009-2013 as BMW Team RLL where they won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category in 2010 and swept all three GT titles in 2011 – Manufacturer, Team and Driver. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 24 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 103 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2025 season. BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second-place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.

Hy-Vee Leaves Rahal

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The Rahal Letterman Lanigan off season roller coaster continues. The team has had an FBI investigation at their shop, a 1-2 finish at IMSA’s Battle of the Bricks last month, and last week announced the signing of Indy NXT champ Louis Foster. Friday, sponsor Hy-Vee said they will no longer be the primary sponsor of car 45.

The Iowa based grocery chain will continue to sponsor the Iowa IndyCar doubleheader, but they will not continue their support of the Milwaukee race.

Rumors have been floating that their car sponsorship would move to A. J. Foyt Racing, but the company statement indicated they would no longer sponsor a car.

Hy-Vee has sponsored a Rahal car since 2021. That is a fairly long time in this modern era. All sponsors cut back their involvement at some point, some gradually, some severely, and some leave the series.

Rahal said they still plan to field three cars in 2025. This decision may affect which drivers the team can hire.