There will be a new, and somewhat surprising, addition to the NTT IndyCar Series grid for this weekend’s Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
A race-winning Danish Formula 2 driver, supported by Formula 1’s newest race-winning team, will make his debut. Christian Lundgaard will get behind the wheel of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No. 45, joining IndyCar’s grid for the race at IMS.
It is another example of a European racer his or her hand at IndyCar. Former F1 drivers Marcus Ericsson and Romain Grosjean have both run competitively this season, while Spaniard Alex Palou made it to Formula 2 but jumped across to IndyCar for 2020—and now leads this year’s standings.
It has been a tough 2021 season for Lundgaard in Europe. Regarded before the season as one of Formula 2’s title contenders, following a promising 2020, he holds only 12th place in the championship, his prospects thwarted by factors largely out of his control.
Formula 2’s revised calendar format for 2021 has opened a lengthy window in the summer break and Lundgaard has headed Stateside to try his chances. A recent test at Barber Motorsports Park led to an offer to race—one which he has grasped with both hands.
“I think what I like about IndyCar itself is that it’s fairly similar to F2, but at the same time it’s a bit of a mix of F2 and F1,” said Lundgaard, who has previously driven old-spec Renault F1 machinery.
“It’s the big league, but it’s the same cars; it’s a very competitive series, there’s no power steering, the cars are physical to drive, it’s proper racing. I like the unpredictability—you saw at Nashville with Marcus Ericsson going airborne in the beginning and he ended up winning the race. Looking from the outside it’s a very competitive series and there’s a lot of cars. It’s exciting to watch, so I’m super excited to get a try.”
The short-term and unexpected nature of the one-race deal means for Lundgaard this weekend is simply “about going out and enjoying the opportunity,” but despite only recently turning 20 he faces a pivotal moment in his career.
Lundgaard has been supported by Alpine’s driver academy since 2017, and he is highly regarded by the company, yet his prospects of stepping up to Formula 1 appear slender. Esteban Ocon recently signed a long-term Alpine Formula 1 deal, through 2024, while Fernando Alonso is expected to stay. Alpine’s other junior drivers, Oscar Piastri and Guanyu Zhou, hold first and second respectively in the Formula 2 championship. Lundgaard’s Formula 1 ambition remains undimmed but reckons this weekend’s outing may open some other doors, potentially within IndyCar.
“The dream and the target will remain the same,” outlined Lundgaard, referring to Formula 1. “And obviously I still have my season in F2 to complete, but I think it is a good opportunity to explore, and I think if it goes well, yes, (IndyCar) is an opportunity (for 2022).
“There are options in Europe, there are options in America, there’s options everywhere with the right amount of budget. But it’s also up to us to decide what’s best, again at this time it’s all a bit too early to say. I would be happy to race whatever car that’s competitive, and for me I feel Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has a competitive car. With me, coming in, I don’t have any expectations on myself. At the same time it’s a bit of an advantage as I can come in, I don’t need to think about anything, I can just drive and do my best, then opportunities will come.”
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