The 2022 Indy NXT champion was forced to sit on the sidelines for the majority of the season, but turned his only opportunity into a proverbial golden ticket heading into next year. While other Indy NXT champions received a $1 million prize to move up to the IndyCar Series, he was forced to accept a check for half that amount.
In turn, the Swede was left playing the waiting game, and was called upon by Meyer Shank Racing to substitute for the not-medically-cleared Simon Pagenaud after a violent practice crash at Mid-Ohio. He qualified a stout 11th in his debut on the Streets of Nashville, and followed it up with a 12th place start and finish during the Brickyard weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He back-ended his trio of starts with a finish of 18th in his only oval start at Gateway. In two of his three appearances, he was the highest-finishing rookie.
Those performances, while minimal, were enough to get the attention of Chip Ganassi Racing. On 31 August, Lundqvist signed a multi-year deal that puts him on the grid full-time beginning in 2024, and with an organisation that has won the IndyCar title two of the past three season.
During 24-year-old’s Rookie Orientation Program on Wednesday, everything came full circle as it was not only his first-ever run behind the wheel of a Ganassi machine, but also pushing laps of nearly 220mph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – a place that he earned the opportunity to compete at in May, but circumstantial fate dictated otherwise.
“It's difficult to put into words how cool it actually is,” Lundqvist said. “So long you've been on the sidelines watching this race for many, many years and to now actually be driving it, it's awesome. And then my first ever outing together with Chip Ganassi Racing as well makes it double joyful to do this.”
Brad Goldberg, the engineer that helped propel Marcus Ericsson to an Indianapolis 500 victory in 2022, was on the timing stand and working with Lundqvist. Although not confirmed, it appears likely they will be paired together for next season, made easier with Ericsson gone to Andretti Global.
Source: Autosport